Tony O’Donoghue, Sports Broadcaster Film: Kneecap – it’s about a Belfast hip hop band. They’re partly a political statement and partly a comedy act. It was really funny, powerful and very enjoyable. Book: Michael Harding’s I Loved Him From The Day He Died: My Father, Forgiveness and A Final Pilgrimage. It’s about his relationship with his father. He lost his father when he was 22 and my dad passed away when I was 18. It’s funny the further away from it you get, sometimes the closer you feel. I devoured it. It’s bittersweet. There’s a spirituality to it, and an intensity. I felt quite emotional, relating it to my own memories of my dad. He’s a superb writer. Music: Fontaines D.C.’s new album Romance is fantastic. Watching them on Glastonbury – they’ve arrived. They’re about to be the biggest band in the world. They’re brilliant. Gig: U2 at The Sphere was a fusion of sound and vision. The sound was perfect. I’m very proud – my friend for a long time from Cork, Joe O’Herlihy, has been doing sound for U2 for over 40 years. Maybe that venue is the Sistine Chapel of the twenty-first century. You’d look up and around and overhead and you were enveloped by the landscape they created. It was a widescreen, almost cinematic experience and yet it was intimate as well. Remarkable. Culture highlight: The rise of an underground movement – the League of Ireland. Led by Damien Duff and Shelburne. Shamrock Rovers doing sensationally in Europe. Cork City coming back to the Premier Division. This underground phenomenon is going mainstream. Sold-out games, attendances up everywhere. The atmosphere at a League of Ireland ground these days is like a gig. Sonia O’Sullivan, Athlete TV: I spend a lot of time flying. It’s hard to watch Bad Sisters on a plane and not laugh out loud. It’s so funny and relatable. Film: A movie out a few years but I’ve only just seen on Netflix is The Unforgivable starring Sandra Bullock. It’s good, it’s a murder mystery. My husband gets very worried about me watching all these murder mysteries. He thinks I’m planning something. Book: Frank O’Mara’s Bend, Don’t Break: A Memoir of Endurance. Frank is a good friend. It’s a very good read, an easy read – a real-life story of a great Irish athlete who has had to use his endurance as an athlete to fight Parkinson’s Disease. Comedy: I saw Jarlath Regan – who I do a podcast with – at The Everyman in Cork. It was great. He was very funny. Culture: highlight I saw the Olympic torch in a hot air balloon at the Olympics opening ceremony on television. When I went to Paris, soon afterwards, I had to see it – it was so unusual. When the sun went down each day, it rose up into the sky, until after midnight. It was brilliant to see it. Cónal Creedon, Writer TV: Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters is a quantum leap forward in Irish comedy-drama. Brilliant cast – and Sharon Horgan is just a genius. Film: Terence White’s documentary The Final Chapter explores the last days of Kevin Gildea’s bookshop. I’ve been a fan of Terence’s work ever since he was a theatre director. He has a natural sense of theatricality honed and refined over decades – and it shines out from the screen. Book: I will have to say – my brother John’s book This Boy’s Heart. I haven’t managed to get my mitts on it yet – but I am looking forward to savouring every syllable. Music: John Spillane’s opera Fíoruisce: The Legend Of The Lough is a two-hour epic, of haunting themes and memorable arias with the finest collection of singers and musicians. His latest album stands up as a benchmark moment in Irish music to all that went before and all that’s coming down the track. Gig: Karen Underwood and John O’Brien – with the Crosshaven Choir under the baton of Eva McMullan at Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven. Liz FitzGibbon, Actress TV: The second season of Pachinko, which is based on a book, has just come out. It’s an epic drama about a Korean family spanning across decades. It’s gorgeous. Film: The Outrun is an adaptation of a book that’s set in the Orkney Islands with a stunning performance from Saoirse Ronan, who produced it with her husband, Jack Lowden. Music: Sampha’s track Satellite Business with Little Simz, the actor and singer-songwriter, is a song to look up. It’s excellent. Gig: Ezra Collective, a London afro-beat jazz crew, at the Olympia in Dublin last month. Their bandleader Femi Koleoso drums with Gorillaz. They’re class, pure joy. Culture highlight: The Galway Film Fleadh was lit this year. It was like a convention of craic. A film I co-created with a friend, All That’s Carried, premiered and we won best short. Liz FitzGibbon is starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre until 25 January. Click here. Kevin Barry, writer TV: La Maison is essentially Succession transplanted to the high-camp world of French couture. It’s utter fromage but very watchable. Film: Sean Baker’s Anora deserves the frothing acclaim it’s had. Very funny, propulsive, brilliantly played, with Uncut Gems energy and a star-making turn from Mikey Madison. Theatre: Mark Rylance’s chewing-the-scenery turn in Juno and the Paycock in the West End – he really kicked life into the old dog. Book: Kubrick: An Odyssey by Nathan Abrams and Robert P. Kolker. The tone here is a little dry but Stanley Kubrick was one of the most obsessive artists of the last century and he remains, for me, the subject of a deep (if sometimes queasy – not an easy man to love) fascination. Music: Jessica Pratt’s album Here In The Pitch: ’60s-inflected torch songs by the Los Angeles chanteuse, the perfect soundtrack for the David Lynch film in your mind. Chris Kent, Comedian TV: Something completely different to what I would normally watch – Colin from Accounts, an Australian comedy. Very funny, honest and offbeat. Not your typical sitcom. Film: Because I have “smallies”, cinema is usually for them. We saw The Wild Robot and I loved it. I was surprised by it – a great movie with really funny and strange animation. Music: I love Fontaines D.C.’s new album Romance. They’re on my bucket list to see. My kids even love some of their songs. Gig: I’ve seen Hozier live a few times. I love him. Brilliant band. I’m a big fan of all of his music. At our wedding, we had a Hozier song. He’s got so many good songs. Culture highlight: The song The Spark by Kabin Crew, which went insanely viral. It’s from GMC, a producer from Knocknaheeny where I’m from. It’s a banging tune. Chris Kent is on a nationwide tour in the New Year. Click here for details. Muireann O’Connell, TV Presenter TV: I loved the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, starring Aidan Turner. I put it on; himself was rolling his eyes. We watched six episodes in one sitting. I laughed and laughed. They didn’t take anything seriously. It was tongue-in-cheek, like a Carry On movie. So much fun. Film: Wicked Little Letters with Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley, which is based on a true story, is so funny. It’s a joy – their comic timing, watching them play off each other. It’s brilliant. Theatre: The President at the Gate Theatre with Olwen Fouéré, who left it all out there on stage, and Hugo Weaving – I didn’t like it but it stuck with me because of the madness of the performances and the conceit at the end. Book: All the Colours of the Dark by English author Chris Whitaker is about two childhood friends. Something happens when they’re 13 years old, an awful event that changes the course of their lives. Best friends that are put on opposing sides. Shakespearean drama that’s also a thriller. It’s amazing. Gig: Taylor Swift at the Aviva for the sheer spectacle. It was unbelievable. I sang for three hours. I was happy for a week afterwards. Karl Spain, Comedian TV: The Day of the Jackal series, which is a remake of the movie from the Seventies and the original Frederick Forsyth novel, is brilliant. Film: Housewife of the Year at Dublin’s IFI is a documentary by Ciarán Cassidy. My mother is on the poster. I supplied it. She won out of Munster in 1977. My mother was blonde and very glamorous. Everyone used to always comment on it: “Oh, your mother was gorgeous. She was beautiful. You’re very like your father.” Book: I’ve been a fan of Reeves and Mortimer forever. Bob Mortimer’s second novel The Hotel Avocado is gorgeous. It has these turns of phrases, little lines here and there, that are beautiful. Music: I really like Nick Cave’s album Wild God. I’ve always loved Nick Cave. I remember hearing The Mercy Seat on Dave Fanning’s radio show when it first came out and going, “What the hell is this?” It blew my mind. He takes so many different turns, but he hasn’t shook me off yet. Gig: The Waterboys at Electric Picnic. I was at the back of the tent for it. It was a sheer buzz. I felt 20 again. Rick O’Shea, Broadcaster TV: The DC Comics series The Penguin is part The Sopranos, part The Godfather. It has Colin Farrell in one of his most extraordinary performances. I haven’t finished it yet because I’m eking out every individual episode. Film: Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Day. It’s set in Japan. It’s about a man whose job is to clean public toilets. It’s a single day in his life. You follow him around as he does his job and gets on with people. It’s like a balm for the soul. A gentle, warm film that will slightly restore your faith in the human race. Theatre: The one-woman Picture of Dorian Gray with Sarah Snoop, who was in Succession, in London. She plays every character. It’s done through her playing each of those characters, through costumes, through video, through a giant screen behind her in which she’s playing five or six characters at the same time. It’s incredibly inventive. Music: Kneecap’s Fine Art is one of the best hip hop albums I’ve heard in I don’t know how long. Two-thirds of it is as gaeilge. Grian Chatten from D.C. Fontaines is on one track, Manchán Magan is on another track. It’s beautiful. Gig: Samara Joy, a jazz singer, at the National Concert Hall. She’s a young kid, only 26 years old. She’s one of the most extraordinary performers I’ve ever seen. She performed in front of a full house and she held everybody in the palm of her hand. Niamh O’Sullivan, Opera Singer Film: It may be a cliché but Wicked! I went to see it recently and thought I was going to hate it but I absolutely loved it. I’m a big musical theatre fan and it just had me from beginning to end. Theatre: Safe House by Enda Walsh and Anna Mullarkey. I went to see this a few weeks back in The Abbey and was blown away. Music: Emily D‘Angelo‘s new album, Freezing, with Deutsche Grammophon. Emily is a young Canadian mezzo soprano and this album is just gorgeous. Gig: I went to see the Kabin Crew perform at the Everyman in Cork over the summer and these teens are incredible! Such touching lyrics and passionate performances. Culture highlight: Honestly being part of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at Opernhaus Zürich. It felt like a monumental thing.Compared to how they felt six years ago, Missoula residents are now a little more concerned about safety, cleanliness, lack of restrooms and crowds at parks, trails, open spaces or recreational facilities in the city. Also, it appears more people say off-leash dogs are a problem. That's according to surveys conducted of Missoula residents in 2018 and 2024, asking their opinions on a variety of topics related to public spaces managed by the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department. The 2024 survey was conducted by the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research. It was statistically valid, meaning it represents an accurate slice of the city's adult demographics. The survey was presented to the city's parks and recreation board on Tuesday morning. "Safety, we assumed that was a growing issue for our community, largely because of phone calls and emails," said city Parks and Recreation Director Donna Gaukler, when asked if she was surprised by any of the findings. Gaukler said there's a difference between "real safety" and "perceived safety." She said that the city needs to work hard on addressing "real safety," as in making sure park facilities meet safety codes and addressing crime prevention through environmental design. She said the city also needs to work to address "perceived safety" by increasing education and awareness. "We need to do a better job of communicating how to be safe," Gaukler said. Bonner Park is a popular spot for pickup grass volleyball in Missoula. Most respondents, about 91%, said the city's top priority should be ensuring that parks, trails, open spaces and facilities are safe. Zac Covington, the city's open space program manager, was the city staffer who presented the report to the board. He noted that in 2018, the word "homeless" was not one of the top 50 words used by survey respondents. However, in 2024, the word "homeless" was one of the top four or five words that came up when they tallied all the words used by respondents. When asked what things they would emphasize to city staff, about 13% of respondents wrote down challenges or perceptions about homeless individuals. A trailhead sign on Waterworks Hill north of Missoula encourages hikers to leash their dogs and even provides leashes for those who don't have one. Dog owners can still take their pets off leash in the open space. Covington also said they compared the feelings of Missoula residents in 2024 to a national survey conducted by the National Parks and Recreation Association in 2023. About 27% of Missoula residents say they don't feel safe at a park, trail, open space or recreational facility, compared to 21% who feel the same way in the U.S. overall. Missoula residents are more likely to say they don't know about available parks and recreation programs and that the programs were too expensive. However, Missoula residents are less likely to say that parks and open space are too far from their house. About 15% of respondents said maintenance or cleanliness improvements were needed at a park, trail, open space or facility. "We need to get better at keeping parks really clean, which is hard with limited resources," Gaukler said. In 2018, about 18% of respondents said dogs off-leash were a problem. By 2024, that number had increased to about 33% of respondents. "What hasn't changed is challenges around dogs," Gaukler said. "Or I should say, dog owners managing their pets in parks and open spaces. That hasn't changed." More people in 2024 also said they found a lack of access to a restroom to be a problem. Covington said that 45% of respondents who have children said that programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department were too expensive. At the same meeting, the board heard a presentation about how the city will be increasing fees for Parks and Recreation facility rentals. Ryan Applegate, the deputy director of programs and fiscal services for the Parks and Recreation Department, said fees will generally increase 5% to help offset increased costs. "A benefit of fees is the increased ability to serve more residents by providing a revenue stream," he said. "Fees allow increased value or quality of services." He said fees also reduce conflict by allowing users to reserve facilities, which means two different groups don't show up to use the same space at the same time. The fee increases are necessary to keep up with inflation, Applegate explained. Wages and the general cost of business have increased over the last few years, he said. The city conducted a survey of fees in other Montana cities and found that Missoula is on par with other Montana cities in terms of field rental fees and aquatic facility use fees. Tennis facility rental fees will increase 20% to offset the need to replace and maintain those courts, he said. The full survey results about Missoula's parks, trails, open spaces and facilities can be found online by finding this story online and visiting Pub-missoula.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=317361 . David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.33 phlove casino login 。

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NEW YORK >> Prosecutors have suggested to a New York judge the possibility of sparing Donald Trump any prison time for his conviction on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star in light of his U.S. presidential election victory, but opposed dismissing the case. In a court filing made public today, prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office urged Justice Juan Merchan to deny the Republican businessman-turned-politicians’ request to throw out the case so it does not hang over him and impede his ability to govern once he takes office on Jan. 20. Noting that many of Trump’s concerns involve the possibility that he could be incarcerated, prosecutors noted that there is no requirement that Merchan sentence him to prison — and said the judge could conclude that presidential immunity from prosecution would require a non-incarceration sentence. “Such a constitutional limitation on the range of available sentences would further diminish any impact on the defendant’s presidential decision-making without going so far as to discard the indictment and jury verdict altogether,” prosecutors wrote. Merchan has not said when he will rule on Trump’s bid for dismissal. Trump has called the case an attempt by Bragg, a Democrat, to harm his 2024 campaign. In a statement today, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “Today’s filing by the Manhattan DA is a pathetic attempt to salvage the remains of an unconstitutional and politically motivated hoax.” The case stemmed from a $130,000 payment that Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she has said she had a decade earlier with Trump, who denies it. A Manhattan jury in May found Trump, 78, guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up his reimbursement of Cohen. It was the first time a U.S. president — former or sitting — had been convicted of or charged with a criminal offense. Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison, but incarceration is not required. Before his Nov. 5 election victory, legal experts told Reuters it was unlikely that Trump would be sentenced to prison due to his lack of criminal history and advanced age, but that incarceration was not impossible. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled in a separate criminal case involving Trump that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official actions taken in office, and that evidence of official acts could not be used in prosecuting a president over personal acts. Trump’s lawyers have argued that meant the case should be dismissed because prosecutors used statements that Trump made while president and testimony from his White House aides. The filing by Bragg’s office today said the hush money case involved “purely unofficial conduct.” “Presidential immunity is supposed to protect a president’s official decision-making only while in office, not to forever insulate the president from criminal liability — especially for his unofficial conduct,” prosecutors wrote. Merchan last month delayed Trump’s previously scheduled Nov. 26 sentencing indefinitely to give him the chance to seek dismissal. In their filing, prosecutors repeated their suggestion that Merchan defer all proceedings — including the sentencing — until Trump leaves the White House in January 2029. Alternatively, they said a non-incarceration sentence could minimize the case’s impact on Trump’s presidency. In their motion to dismiss, Trump’s lawyers called the idea that the sentence could be delayed until after he leaves office “ridiculous.” The prosecutors wrote that while Trump should receive “temporary accommodations” to make sure the case does not interfere with his presidency, wiping out the jury’s verdict would represent an “extreme remedy.” “President-elect immunity does not exist,” they wrote. “The overwhelming evidence of defendant’s guilt and the critical importance of preserving public confidence in the criminal justice system, among many other factors, weigh heavily against dismissal.” Trump was charged in three other state and federal criminal cases in 2023, one involving classified documents he kept after leaving office and two others involving his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. He pleaded not guilty in all three cases. The Justice Department moved to dismiss the two federal cases after Trump’s election victory.

After 27 years, more than 3 million meals and countless tailgates, Mother’s Federal Hill Grille is set to close. The South Baltimore bar and restaurant, a gathering place for Ravens fans, said in a Wednesday press release that it will shutter its doors on Jan. 19, 2025. Two other Mother’s locations, in Arnold and Timonium, will remain open. “While it is difficult to turn the page, we know it is the right decision,” owner Dave Rather said in a statement. He opened the Federal Hill flagship in 1997 at 1113 S. Charles St., a block from Cross Street Market and a half-mile from M&T Bank Stadium. A year later, when the Ravens started playing at The Bank, Mother’s launched its Purple Patio, an outdoor space that came to be known for gameday tailgates with DJs and drink specials. After the team’s 2013 Super Bowl victory, Baltimoreans mobbed the bar , singing along to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” as bartenders showered the crowd with purple silly string. Alongside beer and mixed drinks, Mother’s served a pub grub menu with options like “Baltimore’s Best Buffalo Chicken” and a “Double Phat Crab Cake Dinner.” The restaurant has been sold to an “undisclosed buyer,” the release said, and will undergo renovations after Mother’s closes. Reached by phone Wednesday, Rather said the decision to close was “bittersweet,” but added, “it’s just time for a change.” He plans to hand the Mother’s brand to a younger generation of managers, including his 30-year-old stepson, Terry Tragas, who has worked for the company since he was 15. The next phase for the local restaurant chain is likely to include an expansion outside of the city. Rather said he’s eyeing “multiple areas” for growth, including the Timonium region and Howard County. He said the Federal Hill spot came with “challenges” but did not elaborate, saying only that there are “more moving parts down in the city than the other locations, so it makes it more difficult to run.” The bar and grille took its name from Rather’s college nickname, Mother. The Towson University alum started out by throwing parties and then launched a social club called Mom’s that took revelers down to New Orleans. Mother’s was the brick-and-mortar extension of the concept. “From Day 1, we had a line to get in,” he said of the bar. “We’re very thankful. I never thought it would be as busy as it was.” Have a news tip? Contact reporter Amanda Yeager at ayeager@baltsun.com, 443-790-1738 or @amandacyeager on X.VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — Aidan Bouman threw a go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and Quaron Adams followed with a 70-yard touchdown on a reverse as No. 4 seed South Dakota pulled away late to beat 13th-seeded Tarleton State 42-31 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. South Dakota will host the winner of Saturday’s matchup between No. 5 seed UC Davis and 12th-seeded Illinois State in the third round. The Coyotes (10-2) trailed by seven points four times until Bouman connected with Keyondray Jones-Logan for a 12-yard touchdown and a 35-31 lead with 9:36 left to play. Tim White intercepted a Victor Gabalis pass, giving South Dakota the ball at its own 15-yard line. Adams, a sophomore receiver, raced to the end zone three plays later for his first career rushing touchdown and the Texans (10-4) never recovered in their first trip to the postseason. Gabalis threw three first-half touchdown passes, giving Tarleton State leads of 7-0, 14-7 and 21-14 at halftime. Travis Theis had two short touchdown runs in the first half to pull the Coyotes even and his 2-yard scoring run 51 seconds into the fourth quarter tied it at 28. Tarleton State took its last lead on a 23-yard field goal by Corbin Poston with 11:23 left to play. Bouman completed 18 of 22 passes for 213 yards and also had a 5-yard scoring toss to Jones-Logan off a deflected pass that stood up to a video review and tied the game at 21. Theis carried 25 times for 130 yards. Gabalis totaled 379 yards on 23-for-31 passing with four touchdowns and three interceptions. Darius Cooper caught nine passes for 161 yards and three scores. Cody Jackson had the other touchdown reception. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: andAwards season has arrived in the form of the Golden Globes nominations. The awards, which honor both movies and television programs, is often viewed as a preview of the upcoming Oscars. In this week's episode, co-hosts Bruce Miller and Terry Lipshetz go over the list, focusing largely on the movies, which tend to shine brightest at the ceremony. But they also take time to review a few of the TV shows, including the great, but rarely funny "The Bear," which is again in the comedy or musical category. We also have an interview with "Nickel Boys" director RaMell Ross, who spoke with Miller prior to the film receiving a nomination for best drama. Miller also talked with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who starred in the film. “Wicked”; “Anora”; “Emilia Perez”; “Challengers”; “A Real Pain”; “The Substance” “The Brutalist”; “A Complete Unknown,”; “Conclave”; “Dune: Part Two”; “Nickel Boys;” “September 5” Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Hugh Grant, “Heretic”; Gabriel LaBelle, “Saturday Night; Jesse Plemons, “Kinds of Kindness”’ Glen Powell, “Hitman”; Sebastian Stan, “A Different Man” Amy Adams, “Nightbitch”; Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”; Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”; Mikey Madison “Anora”; Demi Moore, “The Substance”; Zendaya, “Challengers” Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl′′; Angelina Jolie, ”Maria”; Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl”; Tilda Swinton, “The Room Next Door”; Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”; Kate Winslet, “Lee” Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”; Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown’; Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing”; Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”; Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice’’ “Alien: Romulus”; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”; Deadpool & Wolverine”; “Gladiator II”; “Inside Out 2”; “Twisters”; “Wicked”; “The Wild Robot” “All We Imagine As Light′′; ”Emilia Pérez”; “The Girl With the Needle”; “I’m Still Here”; “The Seed of the Sacred Fig”; “Vermiglio” “Flow”; “Inside Out 2”; “Memoir of a Snail”; “Moana 2”; “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”; “The Wild Robot” Selena Gomez, ”Emilia Pérez”; Ariana Grande, “Wicked”; Felicity Jones, “The Brutalist”; Margaret Qualley, “The Substance”; Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave”; Zoe Saldaña, ”Emilia Pérez” Yura Borisov, “Anora”; Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain”; Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown”; Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist”; Jeremy Strong, ”The Apprentice”; Denzel Washington, “Gladiator II” Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Edward Berger, “Conclave”; Brady Corbet, “The Brutalist”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Payal Kapadia, “All We Imagine As Light” Jacques Audiard, “Emilia Pérez”; Sean Baker, ”Anora”; Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, “The Brutalist”; Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”; Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”; Peter Straughan, “Conclave” Volker Bertelmann, “Conclave”; Daniel Blumberg, “The Brutalist”; Kris Bowers, “The Wild Robot”; Clement Ducol, Camille “Emilia Pérez”; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Challengers”; Hans Zimmer, “Dune: Part Two” “Beautiful That Way” from “The Last Showgirl” (music/lyrics by Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson); “Compress/Repress” from “Challengers’ (music/lyrics by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino; “El Mal” from EL MAL” from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard; “Forbidden Road” from ”Better Man′′ (music/lyrics by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek); “Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot′′ (music/lyrics by Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi); ”Mi Camino′′ from “Emilia Pérez” (music/lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille) “Shogun”; “The Diplomat”; “Slow Horses”; “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; “The Day of the Jackal”; “Squid Game” “Abbott Elementary”; “The Bear; “Hacks”; “Nobody Wants This”; “Only Murders in the Building”; “The Gentlemen” Donald Glover, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”; Jake Gyllenhaal, “Presumed Innocent”; Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”; Eddie Redmayne, “The Day of the Jackal”; Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun”; Billy Bob Thornton, “Landman” Kathy Bates, “Matlock”; Emma D’Arcy, “House of the Dragon”; Maya Erskine, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”; Keira Knightley, “Black Doves”; Keri Russell, “The Diplomat”; Anna Sawai, “Shogun” Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This”; Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”; Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”; Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”; Kathryn Hahn, “Agatha All Along”; Jean Smart, “Hacks” Adam Brody, “Nobody Wants This”; Ted Danson, “A Man on the Inside”; Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jason Segel, “Shrinking”; Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”; Jeremy All White, “The Bear” “Baby Reindeer”; Disclaimer"; “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; “The Penguin”; “Ripley”; “True Detective: Night Country” Cate Blanchett, “Disclaimer''; Jodie Foster, ”True Detective: Night Country"; Cristin Milioti, “The Penguin''; Sofia Vergara, ”Griselda"; Naomi Watts, “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”; Kate Winslet, “The Regime” Colin Farrell, “The Penguin”; Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer”; Kevin Kline, “Disclaimer”; Cooper Koch, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Ewan McGregor, “A Gentleman in Moscow”; Andrew Scott, “Ripley” Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear”; Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”; Dakota Fanning, “Ripley”; Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”; Allison Janney, “The Diplomat”; Kali Reis, “True Detective: Night Country” Tadanobu Asano, “Shogun''; Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”; Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”; Jack Lowden “Slow Horses”; Diego Luna, “La Maquina”; Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear” Jamie Foxx, “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was”; Nikki Glaser, “Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die”; Seth Meyers, “Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking”; Adam Sandler, "Adam Sandler: Love You"; Ali Wong, “Ali Wong: Single Lady”; Ramy Youssef, “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings” —List compiled by The Associated Press Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

Ryan Lee was hired by the Baltimore agency on Monday as its chief of detectives within the operations bureau, according to the Police Department.

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French government falls in historic no-confidence voteAI Ease Launches Free AI Image Extender to Unlock Endless Possibilities of Visual Imagery 12-10-2024 09:48 PM CET | Logistics & Transport Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: LianPR AI Ease [ https://www.aiease.ai/ ] constantly updates its AI features, aiming to elevate user experience, and catering to diverse specific needs. Recently it released a new free AI image extender [ https://www.aiease.ai/ai-image-extender/ ] for those who want to effortlessly expand the background of images, while consistently align with the original visuals. Empowered by advanced algorithms, it allows you to expand the image background either horizontally or vertically, and intelligently fill the extended area to make it a complete and captivating result. This breakthrough tool is not just a convenience; it's a transformative resource that empowers users to unlock new creative possibilities in a fast-paced, visually-driven world. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/83fda56b9c489ae2826578802fad6155.jpg In an era where captivating visuals are more important than ever, AI Ease stands out as a pioneer in AI-driven tools, serving both creative professionals and everyday users. By providing user-friendly solutions that streamline intricate image editing processes, AI Ease is continuously pushing the limits of digital imagery. With its latest release-the free AI Image Extender-you can effortlessly expand and transform your images in just a few clicks. No need for complicated software or professional expertise-this tool empowers you to create polished, professional-quality visuals that stand out, making it an indispensable resource for anyone looking to enhance their content and make an impact. Unlock the Key Features of AI Ease's Free AI Image Extender The AI image extender by AI Ease offers a suite of features tailored to meet diverse creative needs. Whether you're a graphic designer, content creator, or someone enhancing personal memories, this tool combines simplicity with cutting-edge technology for stunning results. 1. Preset Common Ratios for Seamless Adjustments The AI image extender offers preset common aspect ratios, which enable users to quickly and effortlessly adjust images to the most commonly used formats. These include: * 4:3 and 3:2 for classic photography dimensions * 16:9 for cinematic and widescreen visuals * 1:1 for square formats popular in social media * 3:4 and 2:3 for portrait-style imagery * 9:16 for vertical displays, ideal for stories and reels These presets ensure a flawless fit for various platforms and creative needs, eliminating the guesswork in resizing images. 2. Flexibly Customize Image Dimensions For those with specific requirements, AI Ease empowers users to customize image dimensions precisely. 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Second Extension for Enhanced Visuals For those who seek even greater flexibility, the second extension feature allows users to enhance their final image further. By revisiting and refining the extended visual, users can experiment with different layouts and artistic elements to achieve the desired effect, unlocking endless possibilities for storytelling and design. Whether you're crafting a compelling story or creating a striking design, this feature empowers you to push the boundaries of your creativity and achieve truly unique results. The possibilities are limitless-your imagination is the only limit. Explore More Free AI Tools on AI Ease AI Ease doesn't stop at image extending. The platform offers a rich suite of free AI-powered tools designed to tackle a wide range of image editing needs, enabling users to streamline their workflow and bring their creative visions to life. These include: * Background Remover: Effortlessly eliminate unwanted backgrounds for professional-quality images. * Watermark Remover: Remove watermarks to focus on the essence of your visuals. * Headshot Generator: Create polished and artistic headshots for professional and personal use. * Passport Photo Maker: Generate passport-ready photos for different countries and regions with ease. * Photo Enhancer: Enhance image quality, sharpness, and clarity in seconds. * Object Remover: Remove undesired elements like people, objects, background clutter, etc from your photos. * AI Filters: Transform your portraits into diverse enchanting looks with creative AI filters. * Image Enlarger: Upscale your images to 2x or 4x without losing quality. * AI Replacer: Replace the original less-than-appealing objects with captivating visuals by entering text prompts. * Blur Background: Focus on the subject by adding a blurred background effect. * Hairstyle Changer: Effortlessly and virtually try on multiple trendy haircuts without stepping into a barbershop. * AI Background Generator: Create custom backgrounds for unique visual settings or experiment with preset AI scenes. About AI Ease AI Ease is a pioneering platform committed to providing accessible, high-quality AI-driven tools that streamline image editing and boost creativity. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, it offers innovative solutions for visual storytelling, enabling users to effortlessly bring their ideas to life. Whether it's seamless background removal or professional-level enhancements, AI Ease's tools are trusted globally for their reliability and precision. Media Contact Company Name: CHENGDU Yile Tech Co., Ltd. Contact Person: Jade W Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=ai-ease-launches-free-ai-image-extender-to-unlock-endless-possibilities-of-visual-imagery ] City: Chengdu State: Sichuan Province Country: China Website: https://www.aiease.ai This release was published on openPR.None

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Government’s forecast of 6 percent economic growth for next year has undergone a stress test to assess its realism, taking into account various fiscal risks, including exchange controls and natural disasters, along with other macro-economic fundamentals. Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the 2025 National Budget sought to build resilience and the Government forecast a brighter future going into the New Year. Prof Ncube said this in Senate last week while responding to concerns raised by lawmakers during a debate on the 2025 National Budget that the Legislature has since passed. “Have we taken care of risks that might arise as we focus on such a brighter future for the country into next year? We have done a stress test of the Budget by considering various scenarios to say, suppose we have some macro-economic risks and maybe we are wrong in terms of our Gross Domestic Product forecast of 6 percent for whatever reason, suppose it turns out to be 2 percent lower and what will happen and we do those simulations. “We also look into how, for instance, exchange rate risks could impact the budget. We look into the impact of commodity risks and some other contingent liabilities that come out of nowhere but impact the fiscal position. We also consider the impact of natural disasters that are unforeseen and some public debt risk,” he said. Prof Ncube said the national budget also focussed on building resilience and not necessarily as a recurrent budget alone as what was suggested by some Senators. Earlier, some Senators had said the budget was skewed towards more recurrent expenditure as opposed to investment or capital expenditure thereby compromising its resilience. “Recurrent expenditure can have resilience characteristics. Resilience is quite broad. Our expenditure on the Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme speaks to building resilience in our rural areas so as to cushion our rural farmers from the vagaries of climate. By the way, 60 percent of Pfumvudza/Intwasa farmers are women. So, you can see the impact of that Budget expenditure item on the gender equity issues, but also our overall social protection on the budget, whether it is Basic Education Assistant Module (BEAM) or whether it is looking at the grey mitigation programme, all those social protection programmes which are just simple recurrent expenditure programmes, our items speak to resilience,” he said. Both recurrent expenditure and investment can have resilience characteristics, said Prof Ncube. “The resilience characteristics from infrastructure will come from investment in irrigation. I think that is an obvious one or indeed, building dams, but with a view of evacuating the water onto the fields and eventually irrigation. So, all of that is a resilience which the budget is supporting,” he said. Prof Ncube said in terms of foreign currency receipts, he acknowledged the role played by the diaspora adding he expected them to send more money to Zimbabwe next year. He said the Treasury had also made initiations to stimulate domestic car production through the retention of duty on bus imports. “We believe now we have quite a lot of buses and we have re-introduced duty on commuter buses. We are supporting a programme of incentivising the import of knocked down kits which will then be assembled at facilities such as Willowvale, Deven Engineering or Quest among others. We are encouraging the use of greener cars in order to reduce pollution,” he said. Zanu PF Chief Whip, Cde Pupurai Togarepi expressed optimism that the Budget will cater for key Government operations necessary to achieve Vision 2030. “The vision aims to achieve an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and the Budget spoke to this vision by providing vital resources to productive sectors of the economy. “As you are aware, our productive sectors include agriculture, mining, industry and commerce and tourism. These sectors were adequately equipped to ensure they continue to contribute to economic growth which is projected to leapfrog by 6 percent by the end of 2025. “Other sectors such as transport and energy which provide essential infrastructure and power to facilitate industrial activities were also catered for and we expect the energy generation capacity to improve by midyear,” he said. Cde Togarepi noted that through the Finance Bill, the Budget tried to strike a balance between reducing the tax burden on companies while also ensuring that the Government had adequate funding to run its operations. “No country can prosper without its citizens paying taxes. MPs encouraged the Minister to widen the tax base. A culture of paying tax is key to economic development,” he said. Wallace Ruzvidzo, Herald Reporter As Zimbabwe celebrates Christmas and prepares for a new year, President Mnangagwa has called for responsible behaviour among the general citizenry. The President spread some holiday cheer by wishing Zimbabweans a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. In his Christmas and New Year message delivered at State House at the [...] Samuel Kadungure, Manicaland Bureau Zanu PF Central Committee member Cde Jenfan Muswere has clarified the party’s resolution making process saying decisions made at the recent Annual People’s Conference are binding because they were unanimously adopted. Cde Muswere said when the resolutions were read out to the conference delegates, none in the house opposed them. Among [...] By Daglous Masveta Some residents of St Mary’s Chitungwiza are facing the possibility of having a bleak Christmas due to a sewage problem that has persisted for months. For over three months, residents of 63, 64, 65, and 66 Nehanda Close, St Mary’s, just a stone’s throw from St Mary’s Police Station, have been grappling [...]

Wake Forest keeps trying new things early in the season, even if not all of the adjustments are by design. The Demon Deacons will try to stick to the script when Detroit Mercy visits for Saturday's game in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons (5-1) will be at home for the final time prior to three consecutive road games. Detroit Mercy (3-2) already has two more victories than all of last season. After a couple of narrow wins and a loss at Xavier, Wake Forest had a smoother time earlier this week in defeating visiting Western Carolina 82-69 on Tuesday night. Yet these are games when teams have to figure where contributions are going to come from in certain situations. The experimenting took a turn for Wake Forest in the Western Carolina game. Center Efton Reid III had limited minutes because of migraines, so there was a shift in responsibilities. Normal backcourt players Cameron Hildreth and Juke Harris logged time at the power forward slot. "That's just part of it," coach Steve Forbes said. "They did a good job adjusting. We ran a lot of stuff and there are several guys learning different positions. ... I give credit to those guys for doing the best job that they could do on the fly and adjusting to the play calls that we ran and the stuff that we changed." Wake Forest could excel if both Parker Friedrichsen and Davin Cosby can be consistent 3-point threats. Friedrichsen slumped with shooting in the first few games of the season and was replaced in the starting lineup by Cosby. In Tuesday's game, Friedrichsen drained four 3-pointers, while Cosby hit two. "It was really good to see Parker and Davin both make shots together," Forbes said. Not everything was solved for the Demon Deacons. Western Carolina collected 12 offensive rebounds, and that took some of the shine off Wake Forest's defensive efforts. "We can't be a good defensive team, or a really good defensive team, unless we rebound the ball," Forbes said. "It's demoralizing to your defense to get stops and then not get the ball." In Detroit Mercy's 70-59 win at Ball State on Wednesday, Orlando Lovejoy tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "We got the ball to the shooters and playmakers," first-year Titans coach Mark Montgomery said. "You could tell by the guys' body language that we were going to get a road win. It had been a long time coming." On Saturday, the Titans will look for their second road victory since February 2023. The outcome at Ball State seemed significant to Montgomery. "We had to get over the hump," he said. "Our guys grinded it out." --Field Level Media

Tennessee won’t stay down for long after suffering the second-largest blowout loss of the College Football Playoff’s first round. USA Today’s Paul Myerberg believes the Volunteers will continue to ascend in the SEC. On one condition, though: Nico Iamaleava has to continue ascending and overcome his struggles against Ohio State. “Tennessee’s stock remains on the rise despite the early playoff exit. Looking ahead, this will be a crucial offseason for Iamaleava, who has to continue developing as a passer to bring more balance to this offense. The worst part about Saturday night was the rough start and the inability to capitalize on the strong close to the second quarter: Ohio State bloodied the Volunteers’ nose early and was clearly the more prepared team coming out of the gate,” Myerberg wrote. As Tennessee offensive coordinator Joey Halzle noted, Iamaleava wasn’t fully to blame for the Volunteers’ struggles in the passing game against Ohio State. Oftentimes, as Halzle admitted, there weren’t any open passing lanes for Iamaleava to do anything with. “A lot of the runs that Nico ended up doing was just him extending plays on his own. We did have some design quarterback run on the play he scored on and a couple 3rd and shorts,” Halzle said postgame, per 247 Sports . “Yeah, we weren't creating big plays in the pass game, weren't creating big windows. We had difficulty up front. It was just an entire unit where from start to finish it couldn't get anything to pop going right there. “That's why you ended up seeing him running with the ball in his hand a lot.” Tennessee played a nearly perfect season. The Arkansas game was an anomaly, considering the Razorbacks’ defensive futility most of the season, but the Georgia and Ohio State games show a vast difference in recruiting across the trenches and skill positions. If Josh Heupel could close that gap at least somewhat, the Volunteers may get a first-round bye next year after an SEC Championship. At worst, Tennessee wouldn’t be exposed on the biggest stage like it was in 2024., an NBA All-Star and a key player for the , has recently been at the center of trade rumors that have sparked considerable discussion among fans and analysts alike. At 35 years old, , known for his scoring ability, defensive prowess, and leadership on and off the court. However, reports surfaced ahead of the February 6 deadline, with interest in teams like the , , , and . In response to these swirling rumors, , stating unequivocally that the franchise has no plans to trade Butler. In a statement released on December 26, Riley emphasized, " " This declaration aims to quell the distractions that have arisen from the speculation surrounding Riley denies trade rumors surrounding Butler Butler's recent absence from the lineup has fueled further discussions about his status. He was not with the team during their trip to Orlando for a game . While initially attributed to an ankle injury sustained in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 20, the Heat later clarified that . This situation has led to a mix of concern and curiosity regarding his commitment to the team, especially as he navigates the challenges of recovery and the trade rumors. Heat head coach also expressed his support for Butler during a morning shootaround, reinforcing the team's desire to keep him. " ," Spoelstra stated. He acknowledged the difficulties posed by external noise, saying, " ." Currently, Butler is under a , with a $52 million player option that he reportedly intends to decline As the Heat sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 14-13 record, the organization is clearly focused on maintaining its core, with moving forward.

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NoneThe Louisville Cardinals host a ranked team for the second time this week when the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils pay a visit on Sunday, and the Cardinals hope for a better outcome in the teams' Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Louisville (5-3) has lost two straight, including an 86-63 thrashing at home by No. 23 Ole Miss in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday. The visiting Rebels shot 56.7 percent and dominated inside with a 48-26 edge on points in the paint. Tuesday's game was the first for coach Pat Kelsey's team without Kasean Pryor, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. The 6-foot-10 senior wing, a transfer from South Florida, was a key player early on for Louisville, averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and blocking eight shots in seven games. Pryor is the latest Cardinals player to go down with an injury. Before the season started, the school announced center Aly Khalifa and guard Kobe Rodgers would redshirt due to injuries. Then just two games into the season, Aboubacar Traore broke his arm and Koren Johnson injured his shoulder. Traore is expected back this season, but Johnson announced earlier this week that he would also redshirt this season and undergo surgery. Besides the injuries, the Cardinals are also struggling to hit 3-point shots, a key facet to Kelsey's offense. Louisville entered Saturday 340th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.3 percent and seventh nationally averaging 31.6 attempts per game. Despite the woes, Kelsey told reporters after the Ole Miss loss that he doesn't plan to change his offense, adding that he believes in his players. "The percentages even themselves out," he said. "This has happened before. I just don't want our guys to lose confidence, because I really, really believe in them. They'll bounce back and be better on Sunday." The Blue Devils (6-2) won their SEC/ACC Challenge game on Wednesday, beating No. 2 Auburn 84-78 in Durham. Duke overcame a 13-2 deficit to get the Quadrant 1 victory on its resume. Coach Jon Scheyer's team shot 50 percent from the field and committed just four turnovers. It was just the 14th time in program history the Blue Devils had four or fewer turnovers in a game. Freshman Cooper Flagg, a preseason All-American and a contender for national player of the year awards, leads the Blue Devils in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and blocked shots (1.4 per game). He scored 22, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out four assists in the win against the Tigers, but it was another freshman who stole the show. Isaiah Evans came off the bench to score 18 points and hit 6 of 8 3-point shots. The guard averages 9.4 points per game but has only played in five games and has yet to play more than 17 minutes in a contest. Scheyer told reporters after the win that Evans provided a "special moment" when his team needed a lift. "To have that amazing courage to come into this game and do what he did -- I'm not sure if I've ever been a part of something like that in my years here," Scheyer said. --Field Level Media

LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Leo Colimerio had 15 points in Queens' 81-78 win against VMI on Saturday. Colimerio had seven rebounds and five assists for the Royals (4-5). Jaxon Pollard scored 13 points while finishing 6 of 8 from the floor and added eight rebounds. Yoav Berman had 12 points and shot 4 of 7 from the field, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 1 for 4 from the line. A 3-pointer by TJ Johnson got VMI within 77-76 with 8 seconds remaining, but Nasir Mann's layup gave Queens an important three-point lead with 6 seconds left. Rickey Bradley, Jr. led the way for the Keydets (5-6) with 19 points and four steals. TJ Johnson added 17 points, six rebounds and three steals for VMI. Augustinas Kiudulas also put up 15 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The wrong people are having to answer for Ohio State’s fourth-straight loss to Michigan and that’s part of the problem. Cody Simon had no problem stepping into his role as a captain and facing the media to answer for a loss. Even if the defense wasn’t even close to being the reason for the loss. That unit held off the Wolverines for as long as it could constantly getting red zone stops such as Jack Sawyer’s interception. It even gave the Buckeyes a favorable field position numerous times, ne of which being a result of Caleb Downs getting his first interception of the season. Yet Simon didn’t shy away in the postgame having to be the spokesperson for his teammates to the best he could. “I can’t speak for everybody else but I feel like I let you guys down,” Simon said. “I let down all of Buckeye Nation. I think there’s more we could’ve done. We just could’ve done more. I let you guys down, I’m sorry.” Will Howard took accountability for what was clearly his worst game as a Buckeye completing just 19 of 33 passes for 175 yards for a touchdown while throwing two bad interceptions. He stood up there and faced the music even if you could see him trying his hardest to fight back tears as he felt the same pain his teammates have felt for the last three years. He apologized too, despite fighting his way back onto the field after a head injury. “I’m sorry man, Howard said. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to be a Buckeye. I’m sorry I couldn’t get this one done.” Latest Ohio State Buckeyes news Ohio State’s seniors came back to beat a down Michigan team — and they fell short again Ohio State, Michigan football fight: Police issue statement after brawl Watch Ohio State football’s Skull Session ahead of game vs. Michigan (video) Maxwell Roy, 4-star defensive lineman: Ohio State Signing Day 2025 player profile Howard also refused to put any of the blame on the people who actually deserve it most. He wasn’t perfect against the Wolverines, but he’s also not the person putting himself in a position to not be at his best. That’s on head coach Ryan Day, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and the rest of the offensive coaching staff. Once again another Michigan game has come around and once again the one unit that is supposed to be the foundation of this program failed to be just that. “Yeah, I’m sorry,” Howard said. “I’m gonna stay away from that right now.” During this four-year span, Ohio State is averaging 40.7 points per game against its non-Michigan opponents. That number drops down to 21 points per game in games against the Wolverines. The latest of those is the worst of the bunch meaning only 10 points and none of them come in the second half. In fact, only 31 of the 84 points scored in those losses have been in the second half. The offense is supposed to be the thing that wins you these games. It’s supposed to be the reason why we believe OSU is a national title contender. Fixing the defense is supposed to be the bonus. It was done so that you didn’t have to worry about it getting in the way of your success. That didn’t happen the first two seasons hence allowing 42 and 45 points. But Jim Knowles fixed those issues in the past two seasons. They gave up 30 last year — with seven being a direct result of the offense’s pitfalls — then allowed just 13 on Saturday. Yet every time the defense got better in this game, the offense made it even harder for the defense to succeed. So why didn’t those guys come to the stand to take accountability for the role the offense keeps playing in not playing up to its standard and expectation? Instead, you allowed your players to answer for you as they stood at a microphone trying their hardest to hold back tears knowing they’ll forever be known as the Buckeyes who couldn’t beat Michigan. This coaching staff needs to answer for its failures. It also needs to figure out how to get over what is a clear mental hurdle they’ve set the standard for and watched it fester down into their players. Losing to national-championship caliber Michigan teams is one thing. It’s still not going to go over well with the fanbase but at least the reasoning for those losses is one that isn’t crazy to suggest. But a loss to a 6-5 Wolverine team whose entire motivation coming into this weekend was simply ruining your season is unacceptable. That’s a systematic flaw. How to one fix that? “I don’t know,” Day said. “I can probably go off of this game and what’s gone on in this game right now. I think each game is a bit different and unique to itself. But the results the results. As hard as that is to say, we came up short again today. Not easy to swallow at all.” Players are apologizing for once again failing a fanbase by losing the game they’re not supposed to lose. But that responsibility should fall on the coaches who keep finding ways to fumble away chances to win this game. And failing their players in the process. The same players who then have to answer for their failures.( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) 3D Animation Global market Report 2024 - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2024-2033 The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-for a limited time only! LONDON, GREATER LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 18, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-limited time only! Unprecedented growth continues to characterize the global 3D animation market. Ascending from $22.5 billion in 2023 to $24.89 billion in 2024, the market registers a sturdy compound annual growth rate CAGR of 10.6%. This robust expansion has been spurred by a growing demand from the ever-evolving entertainment industry, along with diversified applications in the healthcare and education sectors, the globalization of animation studios, cost efficiency in production, and expanding application areas. Attentive observers are enthused by the market's future scenario. Expected to witness lightning-fast growth over the next few years, the 3D animation market is projected to soar to $38.69 billion in 2028, securing a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 11.7%. This imminent growth is primarily attributable to the emergence of real-time 3D animation, expanding applications in simulation and training, increasing adoption of e-learning and virtual events, and a host of innovations paving the way towards immersive technologies integration, real-time rendering advancements, cloud-based animation services, AI and machine learning integration. What factors are fueling the growth of the 3D animation market? The increasing adoption of visual effects technology in movies, across the media and entertainment sectors worldwide, is significantly contributing to market growth. Visual effects VFX and 3D animation in filmmaking offer illusory realities, fabricating or manipulating non-existent on-screen imagery. With VFX, filmmakers can create surrealistic depictions of locations, entities, or individuals that are impossible or difficult to film in a live-action context. Notably, as per Invest India, India's Media and Entertainment industry is set to burgeon to an impressive $55-70 billion by 2030 at a 10-12% CAGR, propelled by OTT, Gaming, Animation, and VFX. This rising penchant for visual effects technology in movies is expected to supercharge the 3D animation market growth in the near term. Take a sneak-peek into our comprehensive market research report: Who are the frontrunners in the 3D animation market? Leading the market charge are distinguished companies such as NVIDIA Corporation, Adobe Inc., Autodesk Inc., and Trimble Inc. Other significant players include Unity Technologies SF, Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, DNEG Ltd., Animal Logic Pty Ltd., Method Studios LLC, and Blue Sky Studios LLC. The market sphere is further invigorated by Weta Digital Limited, Corel Corporation, Laika LLC, Sony Corporation, Chaos Group, Smith Micro Software Inc., NewTek Inc., MAGI Corporation, SideFX Software Inc., Reallusion Inc., Toon Boom Animation Inc., Maxon Computer Inc., Zco Corporation, Pixologic Inc., The Foundry Visionmongers Limited, Electric Image Inc., Corastar Inc., Foundry Nuke Limited, Moving Picture Company Limited, Framestore Limited, Epic Games Inc., Crystal CG International Limited. Unearthing Emerging Trends and Strategies in the 3D Animation Market Key players in the 3D animation market are harnessing advanced solutions, including AI technology, to cater to a surging demand for more efficient and realistic animation experiences. AI technology refers to systems or machines designed to emulate human intelligence processes, encompassing learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. In a recent example, Adobe, a US-based software colossus, in June 2021, launched Substance 3D tools leveraging AI technology for immersive creation with the intent to produce more realistic special effects, gaming, and entertainment imagery. Substance 3D aims at equipping veteran 3D artists with the latest technology, while also making the medium accessible for new 3D enthusiasts. Acquire an in-depth understanding of the market and its future growth potential: How is the 3D animation market segmented? The 3D animation market thoroughly encapsulates: 1 By Deployment Mode: On-Premise, Cloud 2 By Technique Type: 3D Modeling, Motion Graphics, 3D Rendering, Visual Effects 3 By Service: Consulting, Support And Maintenance, Integration And Deployment, Education And Training 4 By End Use: Media And Entertainment, Architecture And Construction, Education And Academics, Manufacturing, Healthcare And Life Sciences, Government And Defense, Others End-Uses Region-Wise Growth Insights In terms of market share, North America emerged as the most significant player in the 3D animation market in 2023, and Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period. The comprehensive report covers regions including Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. Browse Through More Similar Reports By The Business Research Company: 3D Printer Global Market Report 2024 3D Scanning Global Market Report 2024 3D Bioprinting Global Market Report 2024 About The Business Research Company Learn More About The Business Research Company. With over 15000+ reports from 27 industries covering 60+ geographies, The Business Research Company has built a reputation for offering comprehensive, data-rich research and insights. Armed with 1,500,000 datasets, the optimistic contribution of in-depth secondary research, and unique insights from industry leaders, you can get the information you need to stay ahead in the game. Contact Us: The Business Research Company Americas +1 3156230293 Asia +44 2071930708 Europe +44 2071930708 Email Us: ... Follow Us On: LinkedIn ), YouTube ), Global Market Modelglobal-market-model Oliver Guirdham The Business Research Company +44 20 7193 0708 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X LinkedIn Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. MENAFN17122024003118003196ID1109004604 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. 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During Easter break from college many years ago, my father and I were sitting by his pool having a beer together. He was upset that his medical malpractice insurance might be increasing tenfold for his specialty, and was blaming political decisions for being at least part of the reason. After a brief period of silence, he says "It's a good thing we have politics to employ politicians, because a lot of them couldn't get a job doing anything else". I remember laughing out loud at his off the cuff comment, and I have never forgotten it. Might be an appropriate statement again considering national election results and possible pending government post nominations. Karl Appell Northwest side Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. Follow these steps to easily submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion to the Arizona Daily Star. Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!

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German President To Arrive Nigeria Tuesday On State Visit(Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels) By Stephen Beech Employees are suffering "techno-strain" as a result of digital systems making it difficult to switch off from work, warns a new study. Staff are experiencing mental and physical issues due to being "hyperconnected" through digital technology, according to the findings. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s Schools of Psychology and Medicine conducted detailed interviews with employees from a variety of professions. They found that the cognitive and affective effort associated with constant connectivity and high work pace driven by the digital workplace is detrimental to employee well-being. The study is the final part of a research project exploring the "dark side effects" of digital working which include stress, overload, anxiety and fear of missing out. The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Organisational Psychology , highlight an "overarching" theme of "digital workplace technology intensity" as a result of digital workplace job demands. The research team says their findings indicate a "sense of burden" associated with working digitally which surfaced for most participants in perceptions of overload and feelings of being "overwhelmed" by the proliferation of messages, apps and meetings in the digital workplace. They say "fear of missing out" - or FOMO- on important information and contact with colleagues also contributed to stress and strain for digital workers, as did hassles encountered when using digital technologies. (Photo by Tara Winstead via Pexels) Study leader Elizabeth Marsh said: “Digital workplaces benefit both organizations and employees, for example by enabling collaborative and flexible work. "However, what we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain due to being overburdened by the demands and intensity of the digital work environment. "A sense of pressure to be constantly connected and keeping up with messages can make it hard to psychologically detach from work." Fourteen employees were interviewed in detail and asked about their perceptions and experiences of digital workplace job demands and impacts to their health. Comments from interviewees included: “[It’s] just more difficult to leave it behind when it's all online and you can kind of jump on and do work at any time of the day or night.” Another participant said: “You kind of feel like you have to be there all the time. You have to be a little green light,” while another commented: “It's that pressure to respond [...] I've received an e-mail, I've gotta do this quickly because if not, someone might think “What is she doing from home?” In their analysis, the researchers explored potential underlying psychological, technological and organizational factors that may influence ways in which employees experience digital workplace job demands. The findings showed that participants' dark side experiences were particularly shaped by a pervasive and constant state of connectivity in the digital workplace, termed "hyperconnectivity." Those experiences contributed to a sense of pressure to be available and the erosion of work-life boundaries, according to the research team. (Photo by Thirdman via Pexels) They said the evidence also indicates that "hyperconnectivity" has become the norm among workers post-pandemic. PhD student Marsh said: “The findings underline the need for both researchers and professionals to identify, understand and mitigate the digital workplace job demands to protect the well-being of digital workers.” The research also makes practical suggestions for employers including helping workers improve their digital skills and empowering them to manage boundaries in the digital workplace. The team says their findings could also be used by IT departments to consider how to improve the usability and accessibility of the digital workplace, as well as reining in the proliferation of applications. Dr. Alexa Spence, Professor of Psychology, said: “This research extends the Job Demands-Resources literature by clarifying digital workplace job demands including hyperconnectivity and overload." She added: "It also contributes a novel construct of digital workplace technology intensity which adds new insight on the causes of technostress in the digital workplace. "In doing so, it highlights the potential health impacts, both mental and physical, of digital work.”

As Israel advances on a Syrian buffer zone, it sees peril and opportunityIn the last two years, the Pune Traffic branch has levied CCTV-based and on-the-spot fines worth ₹ 154 crore on 20 lakh citizens for violation of traffic rules. Out of that amount, ₹ 57 crore has been recovered, while ₹ 97 crore is pending to be recovered by the traffic police. Traffic police had intensified their efforts to crack down on traffic violators in the city. During the past two years, using a combination of CCTV surveillance and on-ground action, the police have been identifying and fining citizens for various traffic offences. These violations include jumping red lights, exceeding the speed limits, driving without helmets, using mobile phones while driving, not wearing seatbelts, overloading, and driving in the wrong direction. According to the traffic police data, 10 lakh citizens were penalised for a cumulative fine of ₹ 77.57 crore in 2023 out of which the violators paid ₹ 32 crore and ₹ 45.17 crore is pending. In 2024 so far, 9.58 lakh citizens have faced disciplinary action, and an aggregate fine of ₹ 76.76 crore was levied, out of that ₹ 27.40 crore fine has been paid while ₹ 51.86 crore fine is yet to be recovered. The police have also been keeping a close eye on drivers who indulge in reckless driving, such as rash and negligent driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Additionally, the police have been focusing on drivers who violate parking rules, do not follow lane discipline, and do not give way to pedestrians or other vehicles. According to DCP (Traffic) Amol Zende, “Traffic police aim to make Pune’s roads safer for all citizens. We are using technology and manpower to identify and penalise traffic violators. We urge citizens to cooperate with us and follow traffic rules to avoid fines and ensure their safety. We will continue to take stringent action against those who put their own lives and the lives of others at risk by violating traffic rules.”

Nvidia warns gamers of an incoming GPU shortageFor a tech-driven Pakistan Pakistan remains mired in what can only be described as a ‘Baby Boomer Syndrome’ As the modern world accelerates towards a future purely dominated by technology, digitisation, and innovation, Pakistan finds itself at a major crossroads. The US recently elected JD Vance as its vice-president, marking the arrival of millennial leadership in the White House. D D Eisenhower took the same step in 1952, bringing young and energetic Richard Nixon to the White House as VP – which ultimately brought John F Kennedy into the limelight in 1960. The progressive, innovative era of the US started with the ‘We will go to the moon’’ speech by JFK at Rice University. The current transition in the White House symbolises a shift away from Baby Boomer-dominated leadership, with even the Democratic Party expected to follow suit with younger candidates soon for the 2028 run. Pakistan, however, remains mired in what can only be described as a ‘Baby Boomer Syndrome’, with leadership from the same generation persisting since 1985. For nearly four decades, Pakistan has been governed by individuals disconnected from the demands of a rapidly changing world. The time has come for a fresh, energetic, dynamic and versatile approach that embraces younger leaders with modern education and a forward-looking mindset – someone like Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who represents the millennial generation. Pakistan’s economic struggles are well documented. The solutions lie not in traditional remedies but in bold, innovative action. Globally, the tech sector has emerged as the most transformative force of the 21st century. India boasts over 100 unicorns, startups valued at over $1 billion, making it a hub of innovation. The UAE, with Dubai at the forefront, has established itself as a regional leader in blockchain, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Pakistan, on the other hand, has significant IT talent but has so far lagged in capitalising on its potential. Despite producing world-class engineers and programmers, Pakistan’s IT exports remain a modest $2.6 billion annually, far below what its talent pool could achieve. A balanced approach focusing on digital tax reforms, technology, and export diversification could provide sustainable solutions. Tax reform remains a critical priority. With an informal economy comprising over 35 per cent of GDP, Pakistan’s tax base is narrow and inefficient. Digitising tax collection, broadening the tax base, and addressing chronic evasion and corruption could significantly boost state revenues. This, in turn, could fund investments in critical sectors like technology and infrastructure. Similarly, Pakistan’s energy sector is a significant drag on the economy, costing billions annually due to inefficiencies and theft. Investing in renewable energy and privatising loss-making state-owned enterprises would create fiscal space for more productive ventures. Pakistan’s most significant opportunities lie in the digital economy. The global IT sector is booming, and Pakistan has the potential to emerge as a major player. The country already ranks among the top five in the world for freelance services, with young entrepreneurs leveraging platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. However, these efforts are fragmented and lack the government support needed to scale up. Establishing tech hubs modelled on Dubai’s success could transform Pakistan into a regional leader in technology and innovation. Tech innovation is not just a choice but a necessity. A genius like Warren Buffet, known for his financial acumen, initially overlooked technology. However, he later recognised its importance and invested in Apple, now one of the world’s most valuable companies. Giants like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon – members of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – were once small startups but have grown into trillion-dollar entities, shaping the global economy. Pakistan must foster an environment that allows its tech startups to grow similarly, moving beyond survival to becoming global leaders. Dubai’s rise as a tech hub offers a blueprint for Pakistan. Over the last two decades, Dubai has invested heavily in creating a startup-friendly ecosystem, attracting global talent, and fostering public-private partnerships. Pakistan could replicate this model by developing Special Economic Zones (SEZs) focused on technology. These zones could offer tax incentives, simplified regulations, and access to venture capital, creating an environment where startups can thrive. Collaboration with the UAE could further accelerate this process, establishing a regional tech corridor. Leadership will be key to this transformation. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, with his broader political acumen at a young age, and being Western-educated, is uniquely positioned to lead Pakistan into the technological future. Unlike Baby Boomer leaders who rely on outdated methods, Bilawal’s understanding of technology and global trends could drive investments in the tech sector and encourage innovation. He could champion initiatives like a national startup fund, tech education programmes, and policies that attract international investors. Pakistan’s reliance on traditional industries like agriculture and textiles has limited its growth potential. While these sectors remain important, they cannot drive the kind of economic expansion needed to compete globally. Moving beyond textiles, which account for over 60 per cent of exports, Pakistan must focus on sectors like IT services, engineering, and pharmaceuticals. Startups like Airlift and Bykea have already demonstrated the potential of the local market. However, they face significant challenges, including limited access to venture capital and inadequate infrastructure. Addressing these issues could pave the way for a thriving startup ecosystem, turning Pakistan into a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. India’s success provides valuable lessons. The country’s robust tech ecosystem was built on policies that encouraged entrepreneurship, offered tax breaks for startups, and simplified regulations. By replicating these strategies and tailoring them to local needs, Pakistan could foster a similar environment. Pakistan’s young, digitally savvy population – over 60 per cent of the population is under 30 – represents a demographic dividend waiting to be tapped. However, this requires investment in digital literacy, infrastructure, and skills training. Tourism and cultural exports also offer significant revenue potential. Pakistan’s rich heritage and natural beauty remain underutilised assets. Simplifying visa processes and promoting eco-tourism could attract millions of international visitors. Similarly, exporting Pakistani films, dramas, and music could generate revenue while enhancing the country’s global image. Our trade policy also requires a strategic overhaul. Pakistan must actively negotiate trade agreements with ASEAN, the EU, and African markets to diversify its export destinations. Import substitution policies, focusing on local production of high-demand items like electronics and pharmaceuticals, could reduce reliance on imports and strengthen the domestic economy. Green bonds to fund renewable energy projects and the promotion of cultural exports can also generate revenue while positioning Pakistan as a forward-thinking nation. Pakistan’s economic recovery demands more than incremental changes; it requires bold, innovative action. Younger leaders with modern perspectives, like Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have the vision needed to embrace technology, foster entrepreneurship, and create a dynamic, future-ready economy. The world is rapidly moving toward a new era defined by quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Pakistan cannot afford to be left behind. The time has come to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders who can guide the country into this new era, ensuring prosperity and growth for decades to come. The writer serves as a senior analyst at e& money, a leading global technology and telecommunications company headquartered in Dubai, UAE. He can be reached at: Sufghan@hotmail.com

Using AI and ML in predictive analytics for bed demand forecasting

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Neurocrine Biosciences Announces FDA Approval of CRENESSITYTM (crinecerfont), a First-in-Class Treatment for Children and Adults With Classic Congenital Adrenal HyperplasiaCryptocurrencies boast about radicalizing finance. But we rarely use them in our daily lives. Their utility remains scarce in the real world. SpacePay ($SPY) aims to change that narrative. The crypto payment APK is designed to make digital currency practical for everyday purchases, and its MVP is already completed. SpacePay Presale Builds Momentum As BTC soars ahead, investors are on the hunt for cryptocurrencies that could take advantage of the next bull season. A top crypto on their watchlists is SpacePay, and for the right reason. SpacePay has a tangible goal. It is focused on simplifying cryptocurrency payments. Businesses and everyday shoppers can start integrating crypto using the app. The crypto market is overflowing with tokens. They promise astronomical returns, but rarely deliver. Due to their lack of real-world functionality, they plunge into the dark depths of the market within days of going live. SpacePay is one of the few exceptions, and that anchors its long-term goals. The $SPY presale is on its way to the $700,000 milestone. SpacePay raised $750,000 in a private presale. Investors are eager to jump in before the bull run takes off. This success underscores a growing demand for cryptocurrencies with real-world utility. The Magic Lies in Simplicity SpacePay doesn’t require costly hardware or complicated setups. It delivers a hassle-free solution. The Android-compatible APK integrates seamlessly with existing Point-of-Sale (POS) systems. It allows retailers to accept crypto payments with minimal effort. Retailers pay a transaction fee of just 0.5%. Customers enjoy fast, secure transactions powered by NFC technology. Volatility is another chief concern of businesses. Who would want to sell a product for $1000 only to find its value crashed to $800 an hour later? SpacePay solves this challenge with instant conversion. Let’s say a business based in the US has integrated SpacePay. A customer pays with BTC via the SpacePay app by scanning a QR code. The payment is immediately converted into USD, the retailer’s local fiat currency. This way, the risk of market fluctuations is eliminated, giving businesses peace of mind. The platform supports 325 wallets and a range of cryptocurrencies. The broad compatibility and instant-settlement model could position crypto as a more attractive option than traditional payment methods. Benefits for $SPY Token Holders $SPY powers the SpacePay ecosystem. Early adopters can buy the token at discounted rates during the presale. It comes with multiple perks: Early access to new products and features. Voting rights: Have a say in the project’s future direction. Exclusive webinars: Get insights from the leadership team by joining quarterly sessions. Potential revenue sharing: Grab opportunities for passive financial rewards as the ecosystem grows. SpacePay’s tokenomics lays a level playing field for investors. 20% of the tokens are allocated to the public presale. It minimizes the risk of whale domination and helps develop a diverse investor base. A substantial share of the funds is earmarked for development, marketing, and ecosystem growth. 18% is set aside for strategic partnerships and 12% is allocated as a reserve. Building a Community SpacePay is growing. The project’s Telegram group has already attracted over 5,000 members, while its X (Twitter) following is ready to hit 60,000. This strong community presence reflects confidence in the project. SpacePay is soon launching a referral program and a staking system to promote community engagement. $SPY is set to debut on major crypto exchanges after the presale. It is expected to strengthen the token’s reach and adoption. The SpacePay presale is designed to offer a level playing field for investors of all scales. It accepts ETH, USDC, USDT, and fiat cards. https://x.com/SpacePayLtd/status/1861463642148851880 $SPY is Gearing Up to Pump in the Altcoin Season The SpacePay Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is already in beta. In the altcoin market, where competitors are mostly stuck in the ideation phase, SpacePay stands out. It could reshape how we view and use digital currencies. For both veteran crypto investors and those dipping their toes into the market, SpacePay is a top new crypto coin to watch. It offers a compelling case for why digital currencies matter. While hollow crypto projects themed around silly animal mascots and fun narratives have their charm, they are also short-lived. They don’t have long-term potential. But a project rooted in utility has the potential to thrive even after the speculative hype subsides. With SpacePay, a future where we buy lunch with Bitcoin, or any cryptocurrency for that matter, is close. Join the $SPY presale For the latest updates about the presale and project developments, join the SpacePay community on X (Twitter) and Telegram .

Was Friday's double dose of good news a turning point for the stock market?#pblove 。

BOULDER, Colo. — A 72-year-old lifelong Colorado fan with end-stage kidney failure waited to the side of the field in his wheelchair for Travis Hunter and the rest of the Buffaloes. One by one, players strolled over and signed a football for Riley Rhoades, his face lighting up with each signature. Standing close by and taking in the scene was Jeremy Bloom. He's become a wish facilitator for older adults. Bloom, the former Colorado wide receiver and Olympic freestyle skier, started the Wish of a Lifetime foundation in 2008, which has made thousands of aspirations turn into reality for older adults. The list of granted wishes range from taking veterans back to the beaches of Normandy to helping late-in-life authors publish a book. He's staged concerts for musicians, assisted some in daredevil feats such as jumping out of an airplane and even lined up a meeting between an Olympic medalist and former President Barack Obama. For Rhoades, his wish was simply to return to Folsom Field again, the place where he used to have season tickets but hasn't attended a game since 2004. "Everybody has somebody in their life —a grandparent, friend, neighbor — at that age where you wish you had more resources to help," said Bloom, whose college career was cut short two decades ago when the NCAA denied his reinstatement to play football and still ski professionally after receiving endorsement money to fuel his Olympic dreams. "Nothing can compare to seeing someone else's eyes light up because you helped make their dream come true." The foundation is a tribute to his grandparents. But the concept began to take root when he was a teenager. He was in Japan for a World Cup freestyle skiing competition when a woman tried to hop on a crowded bus. There was no room, but everyone in front rose from their seats to make space. That stuck with him, along with seeing these acts of kindness for older adults all over Europe and Asia as he traveled. An idea formed — bring that same level of appreciation to the United States, with a wish-granting element. Bloom's organization has been a charitable affiliate of AARP since 2020. It was the yearning of Rhoades that brought the two of them to Folsom Field last weekend. Rhoades, who had season tickets at Colorado for 27 years, wanted to see the Buffaloes in person after watching the team's resurgence on television. A few years ago, Rhoades, who was born with spina bifida, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Being among the 54,646 fans Saturday stirred up plenty of emotions for Rhoades, as he watched the 16th-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) beat Utah. Colorado remains in the race for not only a conference title but a spot in the College Football Playoff. "It's just great to be back here again," Rhoades said as he pointed out the section where he used to watch games. "It's just ... so cool." For Bloom, the success that coach Deion Sanders has brought to the program means more reunions with teammates as they pass through town. "I've been through many years where nobody comes to visit," Bloom said. "It's fun that Boulder has become the epicenter of college football." Leading the way for Colorado this season have been quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Hunter, who's the Heisman Trophy frontrunner. But what particularly pleases Bloom is that Sanders, Hunter and the rest of college football players are able to finally profit through name, image and likeness. In his day, Bloom got caught in the NCAA crosshairs for wanting to play both sports and to have sponsors in one (skiing) so he could fund his Olympic aspirations. How time have changed. "I'm just really grateful that this generation of athletes gets to monetize their skills and ability," said Bloom, who finished sixth in moguls at the 2006 Winter Games in Italy. "It's the right thing." He's thrown his passion into fulfilling wishes such as learning ballet, riding in a Formula 1 pace car or taking a flight in a fighter jet. He's also helped reconnect families and friends, including a reunion for a trio of centenarian sisters who hadn't seen each other in more than a decade. This granted wish has stuck with Bloom: A person in Alabama wasn't able to travel after being diagnosed with end-of-life emphysema. So he asked for postcards to be sent, just to learn what made someone's town so special. He received 2,000 postcards from 26 different countries. "There's no end to the things that they've done for us in the world," Bloom said of older adults. "We're one of the organizations that reminds them that their dreams still do matter and that we still appreciate them and we cherish them." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Electrokinetics Corp. (NASDAQ: CRKN) ("Crown" or the "Company”), a leading provider of innovative technology infrastructure solutions that benefit communities and the environment, today provided a letter to shareholders from its CEO and Chairman, Doug Croxall. Dear Fellow Shareholders, As 2024 comes to a close, I want to reflect on Crown’s accomplishments this year and share our vision for the year ahead. It has been a transformative year for Crown, as we have evolved into a rapidly growing public conglomerate with three diversified divisions: Smart Windows, Fiber Optics, and Water Solutions. This year, we made significant operational progress, achieving key milestones that position Crown for continued growth and success. We expanded our presence across eight U.S. states and two countries, building a robust platform to address critical infrastructure and technology challenges. We are on track to deliver $20 million in revenue for 2024, which is all the more impressive given it was primarily generated in the final three quarters. This achievement reflects our progress and the strong demand for our innovative technology infrastructure solutions. Financially, we are well-positioned to achieve profitability in the first half of 2025, even as we continue to invest strategically in our growth plans. Crown has actively raised capital recently to execute those expansion plans and will close the year with record levels of cash in hand and minimal debt. This achievement reflects our disciplined approach to building a healthy balance sheet and implementing the structure required to support both near-term objectives and long-term expansion. We share in your frustration that our market value, trading at approximately our current cash value, does not yet reflect either Crown’s recent achievements or its immense future potential. However, we remain confident that this disparity will correct itself as we build a company that delivers meaningful impact, sustainable growth, and shareholder value. To ensure we maintain our listing status, we have filed our appeal with NASDAQ and expect to go before the hearing committee likely in early February. We will provide timely updates as they become available to Crown. In preparation, we have filed a Proxy Statement ahead of the Special Meeting on January 14th and are requesting approval to execute a reverse stock split to maintain bid-price compliance. We strongly urge our shareholders to favorably vote their approximately 64 million voting shares, and to provide Crown with the flexibility and financial strength needed to continue delivering against our growth plans. 2024 Division Highlights Smart Windows Fiber Optics Water Solutions Slant Wells Lead Pipes: Element 82 & PE Pipelines 2025 Outlook As we look ahead to 2025, Crown is stronger, more focused, and better positioned than ever to capitalize on new opportunities. With momentum across our three divisions, we are committed to achieving profitability in the first half of 2025, expanding our footprint to meet increasing demand, and delivering innovative infrastructure solutions that address critical challenges. Our team of industry experts, with a desire to change the status quo through innovation, is growing rapidly. As we scale, we are actively refining our business processes to align with our growing operations while maintaining agility and focus. Looking ahead, we provided full year 2025 revenue guidance between $30 million and $35 million, underscoring the expected strength of our business to come. To our shareholders, thank you for your trust and confidence as we continue to execute our vision. While our stock price does not yet reflect the intrinsic value of Crown, we remain focused on building a company that delivers meaningful impact, sustainable growth, and shareholder value. Approving the proposed reverse stock split is a critical step in strengthening our position to meet listing requirements, attract new investors, and enhance financial flexibility. Your support is vital to driving Crown’s long-term success and unlocking its full potential. We’re excited for 2025 and look forward to updating you on our progress regularly. Sincerely, Doug Croxall CEO and Chairman, Crown Special Meeting of Stockholders The Company will host a Special Meeting of Stockholders on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Holders of record of Crown’s Common Stock as of the close of business on December 16, 2024, will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting. Additional information regarding the Special Meeting, including how to vote, are available via proxy materials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and can be found at https://ir.crownek.com/sec-filings . About Crown Crown (Nasdaq: CRKN) is an innovative infrastructure solutions provider dedicated to benefiting communities and the environment. Comprised of three business divisions, Smart Windows, Fiber Optics, and Water Solutions, Crown is developing and delivering cutting edge solutions that are challenging the status quo and redefining industry standards. For more information, please visit www.crownek.com . Forward Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may be "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) regarding future events or Crown’s future financial performance that involve certain contingencies and uncertainties, including those discussed in Crown’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and subsequent reports Crown files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, in the sections entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” . Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that express our intentions, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions, or any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and Crown Electrokinetic Corporation undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release. This press release does not constitute a public offer of any securities for sale. Any securities offered privately will not be or have not been registered under the Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. For more information, please contact: Investor Relations ir@crownek.com Public Relations pr@crownek.comDaniels and the Commanders host Penix and the Falcons in prime time with playoff chances at stake

Daniels and the Commanders host Penix and the Falcons in prime time with playoff chances at stake

Grow Up Nana 2: Where community, culture, and comedy collided

A top U.S. cybersecurity official said Wednesday that as she prepares to leave office, on American infrastructure pose the gravest cyber threat to the country. And she believes they will get worse. Jen Easterly, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, called recent Chinese cyber intrusions the “tip of the iceberg,” and warned of dire consequences for U.S. critical infrastructure in the event of a U.S.-China conflict. “This is a world where a war in Asia could see very real impacts to the lives of Americans across our nation, with attacks against pipelines, against water facilities, against transportation nodes, against communications, all to induce societal panic,” Easterly said during the Winter Summit of the Wednesday. Cyber attacks have increasingly targeted U.S. critical infrastructure — whether the attackers are seeking ransomware or aiming to do damage at the behest of America’s adversaries. Hackers tied to , and particularly have been accused recently of seeking to breach cyber defenses in the transportation, communications and water sectors — for a variety of reasons and with a range of success. And as experts often tell us, these elements of the nation’s critical infrastructure are only as safe as the in a complicated system that sits primarily in . Easterly spoke Wednesday to CEO Suzanne Kelly in a special session of the , about the breach known as Salt Typhoon and why the U.S. government, some six months after discovering the espionage hack believed to have been launched by China, is to help get hackers out of the systems of U.S. telecommunications companies. I’m sure if there are two words you wish you had never heard, they might be “Salt Typhoon.” Both CISA and the FBI have said that spies linked to China are still inside U.S. telecommunications systems, even though it’s been six months now since the government began investigating. What can you tell us about what you’ve learned in the past six months? I think it’s important to recognize the trajectory of this threat from China. Many who’ve been in this business for a long time will recall that some 10, 15 years ago, even as we were looking to develop the plans for, and then to build the U.S. Cyber Command, the big threat from China was all about data theft, espionage, intellectual property theft. And certainly we continue to see that, with this latest intrusion campaign into telecommunications infrastructure. But to me, the big story from the last couple of years that everyone should be paying attention to – businesses large and small, critical infrastructure owners and operators – is really about the actor that is known as Volt Typhoon, that has been working to embed and burrow into our most sensitive critical infrastructure. Not for espionage, but rather for disruption or destruction, in the event of a major crisis in the Taiwan Strait. So this is a world where a war in Asia could see very real impacts to the lives of Americans across our nation, with attacks against pipelines, against water facilities, against transportation nodes, against communications, all to induce societal panic. And to deter our ability to marshal military might and citizen will. And that is a very real, not a theoretical threat. And we know it because our hunt teams, working with federal partners and industry, have gone into certain entities. We’ve identified these actors, we’ve helped the private sector eradicate them. But we think what we’ve seen to date is really just the tip of the iceberg. And that’s why we’ve been so focused on talking about the importance of resilience. We cannot not architect systems for complete prevention. We need to architect them for an ability to adapt, to be able to deal with disruption – to respond, to recover, and to really prepare for that. A recent alert encouraged people who aren’t already using encrypted messaging apps to start using them. It feels like we’re at a point where the general public really needs to have a better understanding of cyberspace and how it touches their everyday lives. How are you thinking about how to make cyber more accessible to more Americans? I’ve been trying to do that for three and a half years. So hopefully, there’s been some progress. When I think about the key initiatives that we’ve been focused on at CISA, there’s having those discussions with CEOs and C-suite executives and board members about the importance of corporate cyber responsibility, really embracing cyber risk as a core business risk and as a matter of good governance. That’s one piece. A second piece is this idea of the need for technology vendors to design and build, test and deliver technology that prioritizes security. For decades, vendors have been pushing out products that have prioritized speed to market and features over security. We’ve been working really hard with our partners – we had a pledge that we unveiled, and we had 68 companies sign up. We’re now at over 250. This is becoming a movement, and one that’s really, really important. I’m not so naive to think this is change that we’re going to catalyze in days, weeks, months, or even a year. But we’re getting this movement started, and getting the momentum so that companies understand what they need to do to build secure products. We have also really tried to champion the basics of cyber hygiene. And that’s through our Secure Our World Campaign – folks might’ve seen all of our cyber Schoolhouse Rock PSAs. This is really about getting the American people to understand the basic things that they need to do to keep themselves safe, their family, small businesses. It’s those four things: installing updates; complex, unique passwords for your sensitive accounts, ideally a password manager so you really only have to remember one complex password; making sure that your employees are trained to recognize and report phishing; and then, finally, multi-factor authentication. Those four basic things that we’ve been advocating for can prevent 98% of cyber attacks, is what the research shows. It’s the brushing your teeth, the washing your hands, of cyber. And if you want to ensure that your communications are secure – your texts, your voice comms – it’s important for folks to understand that end-to-end encrypted comms are the best way to do it. You can pick your platform. Obviously, from an enterprise perspective, there are some rules in place in terms of data retention, so companies need to understand what the options are. But at the end of the day, the encrypted comms piece is incredibly important, particularly in a world where we know that our adversaries have attempted to, and succeeded in, exploiting our telecommunications. Let me ask you about ransomware. It’s still a massive problem. How are you thinking about protecting businesses from ransomware now? And I’m really interested to know how your views on it have changed since you’ve been in the director role at CISA. It continues to be a big problem, but until we get the cyber incident reporting for critical infrastructure into place, sometime next year, we really won’t have an idea of what the full range of the ransomware ecosystem is, because I’m sure there are a lot of entities that have had a ransomware attack and it hasn’t been reported. It really has been a scourge. We have seen impacts that we know about on businesses large and small. Since I came into this job, we’ve been focused on this through our stopransomware.gov one-stop shop of all the resources, to help entities understand where they may have external-facing vulnerabilities that we know are being exploited by ransomware actors, and our pre-ransomware notification initiative, where we have actually put out over 3,600 warnings to entities in the country, across the world to prevent them from having a ransomware attack. We are doing a lot of work on this. But look, it’s very tied to this issue around secure-by-design. These ransomware actors are not using exotic, previously unknown vulnerabilities to be able to exploit these entities. They’re using well-known public vulnerabilities, generally, and essentially it’s because many of these entities are using technology that has not been built to be secure. Oftentimes, we’ll say these entities didn’t do X, Y and Z. And that’s a piece of it, depending on the entity and who they are and their level of security team and how much investment they’ve done. I’m not absolving entities, necessarily, of their responsibility to keep their customers safe, but at the end of the day, I think we should stop looking at the victims and stop saying, why didn’t you patch that piece of technology? And really ask the question, why did that piece of technology require so many patches? Secure-by-design is not going to solve the problem, but I do think ensuring that the technology that we rely upon every day for our critical infrastructure is built specifically to dramatically drive down the number of flaws and defects, we will see a world that is much more secure. Since you’ve been in this role, have you seen the private sector’s willingness to share information with the government, which has always been a touchy subject, have you seen it increase? Have you seen those bonds of trust really strengthen? This is one of the reasons I came back into government. Looking at government from the private sector, it was very hard to discern how to effectively collaborate with the government, because we saw so many different actors telling us different things. There was a real lack of coherence. And that is something that I have really tried to champion along with my awesome teammates here. I don’t think we can underestimate what a paradigm shift this is. At the end of the day, we are asking companies three things: First, for any business that is a critical infrastructure owner, or operator, to recognize that a threat to one is a threat to many, given the connectivity, the interdependence, the vulnerability, the underpinning of some very complex supply chains. We’re seeing that with respect to telecommunications infrastructure, certainly. And so it can’t just be about self-preservation, it really has to be a focus on collaboration, in particular with the government. The second point is there also needs to be a recognition that even as we’re asking the private sector to work closer with the government and to provide information, the government has to be coherent. The government has to be responsive and transparent, and for God’s sakes to provide value. And then third, it has to be a frictionless experience, as much as possible. And that’s what we have tried to build through the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative. We started out with 10 companies, we’re now at over 350, over 50 different communications channels where we are sharing information, enriching it with what we know from the federal government perspective, and then planning against some of the most serious threats to the nation. I do think it’s been going well, but this is a major paradigm cultural shift. And getting companies that are sometimes competitors to work together from a collective defense perspective is going to continue to be a project. But I’ve been really pleased to see a lot of our great teammates in the private sector come to the table to focus on what they can do to ensure the collective defense of the nation. Transition between administrations is usually a time of target. Have you noticed anything different [since Election Day]? Have you seen an increase in state-actor or ransomware attacks? No, not specifically, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Threat actors are always looking for those points where there may be leadership turnover, churn, uncertainty, anxiety in the workforce. Change is hard for everybody. So it’s not a surprise. I’ve been through several transitions. I was in the transition from the Obama administration to the Trump administration, and I was on the transition team from the Trump administration to the Biden administration. We at CISA have been looking at our succession planning for months, and I am very, very confident in my senior leaders. The vast majority of CISA is civil servants. And so we have fantastic leaders who are very experienced, and I’m very confident that even if threat actors tried to take advantage of this period of time, or to cause some sort of havoc across the larger threat landscape, that we are prepared along with our partners to be able to respond effectively. Does CISA need more funding to help prevent ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure in the coming years? We’re now at about a $3 billion budget. I think eventually there will need to be growth in both capability and capacity. In terms of ransomware specifically, I wouldn’t focus on specific funding. If I were to advocate for additional funding in the near term, it would really be about this counter-China campaign, and all of the things that we’re trying to do to reduce fundamental risks to our most sensitive, critical infrastructure. I think that’s where we need to focus. You have been in this role for nearly four years now. I would love to get your thoughts on how this role has changed you over the last almost four years. What are you taking away from this job and what do you hope to be able to share with whoever may fill this role under the new Trump administration? Well, first, whoever takes the job, please know that I am here as a resource. When I took this job, [former CISA Director] Chris Krebs was a fantastic teammate and partner. At the end of the day, CISA is a non-political, non-partisan agency. I look forward to having conversations with whoever gets named as my successor. And the first thing I’d say is, you are getting the best job in government because this truly is an amazing place to work. This has been such an absolute honor to take something that was pretty new – CISA is only six years old – and work with this incredible team to build our capability, to build our capacity, to see the budget grow and to really develop operational capacity off that. I think the key lesson learned is the vital importance of one five-letter word, and that’s “trust.” CISA is not a regulator. We’re not an intel collection agency. We’re not a law enforcement agency. We’re not a military agency. Everything we do is by, with and through partners and predicated on our ability to catalyze trust, whether that’s with industry, whether that’s across the federal government, with state and local officials, with election officials. It’s a place we really started out with zero trust and were able to work to much higher trust. And the only way to do that is to get out and engage with people. That’s why I spend so much time across the country, across the world, traveling, explaining what we do, the value that we add, our no-cost services, how we can help everybody across the board. It’s really interesting when you think about the levels of trust in the federal government these days, they’re pretty low. And I think a lot of that is because we’re all in our digital world, where it’s very hard to have conversations with people where you can sit across the table and look them in the eye. Even if you really disagree with somebody politically, I think if you sit down and you have those conversations and you explain where you’re coming from, you really can start to build that trust. And that’s the only way CISA is going to be successful. We bring incredible technical capability, but we also have to bring very high levels of emotional intelligence because if we’re not able to explain how our technical capabilities can help our partners reduce risk, we ultimately will not be successful. And so that’s been a big lesson for me. .Trump ally Kari Lake tapped to lead Voice of AmericaFrom Defence To Culture And Sports, India And Kuwait Sign Key Agreements During PM Modi's Visit

Packers getting healthier as season winds downDMK's executive committee meeting, chaired by party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday strongly condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah, for "defaming" Babasaheb Ambedkar. Shah besmirched the sacrifices of Dr Ambedkar, which was "unacceptable" and a "blot" on Parliamentary democracy under the BJP regime, the Dravidian party alleged in a resolution. In order to divert attention from the minister's remarks, the "dramas" enacted by the BJP, inside and outside of Parliament was a mockery, the party said and lauded party office-bearers and cadres for the state-wide protests and MPs for opposing the minister in both Houses of Parliament. While CM Stalin, following his Erode visit days ago had said that his party will win over 200 seats in the 2026 Assembly polls, the DMK urged its cadres to start working at once for winning more than 200 seats out of the 234 Assembly constituencies. Also, the DMK demanded that the Centre take steps for the immediate release of Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats from Sri Lanka. The union government was also urged to find a permanent solution to the fishermen's issue and take steps for retrieving Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka. On cyclone Fengal relief, the DMK said the Centre's disaster relief fund was not 'BJP's party fund' and it must allocate funds sought by the state government. The state had sought Rs 6,675 crore and Rs 2,000 crore for permanent restoration and urgent requirements respectively. However, the Centre released only Rs 944.80 crore, which was the usual, pending State Disaster Relief Fund, the party said. 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Also, the party targeted the AIADMK for 'supporting' a Bill in 2023 to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 in Parliament which facilitated grant of tungsten mining rights by the Centre. Another resolution hit out at the Centre for its 'partiality' and 'betrayal' of Tamil Nadu by not releasing funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

A Tennessee man is convicted of killing 2 at a high school basketball game in 2021

( MENAFN - IANS) Seoul, Dec 22 (IANS) South Korea and the United States are conducting joint research to strengthen protection against Cryptocurrency heist attempts amid growing concerns of such attacks by North Korea-linked hackers, officials said on Sunday. Based on a recently signed technical annex between the South Korean government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the two sides will jointly develop technologies to prevent cryptocurrency-targeted attacks and to track stolen assets, according to authorities and cybersecurity industry officials. The science Ministry plans to support such research through the Institute of Information and Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation until 2026, reports Yonhap news agency. The move comes as the price of bitcoin recently surged to $100,000 after the U.S. presidential election last month, raising concerns of increased attempts by hackers to steal virtual assets. While the United States collaborates with other countries for cybersecurity research, it is known to have chosen South Korea for research on digital asset tracking technology as North Korea is seen as a key culprit behind cryptocurrency heists. Under the programme, South Korean and U.S. researchers, including those from Korea University and the RAND Corp. research institute, will focus on technologies to prevent and track hackers when they steal assets from a cryptocurrency exchange. They will also focus on understanding how they convert or launder other financial assets they obtain into virtual assets through illegal ransomeware or other methods. North Korea is known as a major player in cryptocurrency heists, with hackers linked to the country estimated to have stolen $1.34 billion worth of cryptocurrency across 47 incidents this year, according to Chainalysis, a leading blockchain analysis firm. Meanwhile, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) chief said last month that the government needs to closely monitor unfair transactions in the cryptocurrency market. "The price of virtual assets has recently been shooting up in a very short period of time, and with heavy volatility of the market itself, the government needs to closely monitor possible unfair transactions," FSC Chairman Kim Byoung-hwan told public broadcaster KBS. -IANS na/ MENAFN22122024000231011071ID1109021474 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. On Thursday: The S&P 500 fell 2.45 points, or 0.04%, to 6,037.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 28.77 points, or 0.1%, to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 10.77 points, or 1%, to 19,764.89. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 20.34 points, or 0.9%, to 2,280.19. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 106.74 points, or 1.80%. The Dow is up 485.54 points, or 1.1%. The Nasdaq is up 447.76 points, or 2.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 37.82 points, or 1.7%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,267.76 points, or 26.6%. The Dow is up 5,636.26, or 15%. The Nasdaq is up 5,009.01 points, or 33.4%. The Russell 2000 is up 253.12 points, or 12.5%.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year as well as inquiries into Biden and his son. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

8 ph ‘DPS Hackathon’ challenges young tech enthusiastsChad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the DEA, withdraws name from consideration

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Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the DEA, withdraws name from consideration

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By MICHELLE L. PRICE NEW YORK (AP) — Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Tuesday he was withdrawing his name from consideration, becoming the second person selected by the president-elect to bow out quickly after being nominated for a position requiring Senate confirmation. Sheriff Chronister, the top law enforcement officer in Hillsborough County, Florida, said in a post on X that he was backing away from the opportunity, which he called “the honor of a lifetime.” “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” Chronister wrote. He did not elaborate, and Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Chronister follows former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz , Trump’s first pick to serve as attorney general, in withdrawing his name for a post in the administration. Gaetz withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. Trump’s pick of Chronister for the DEA job drew backlash from conservatives, who raised concerns over his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and his saying that his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities.” In March 2020, Chronister arrested the pastor of a megachurch who held services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place aimed at limiting the spread of the Covid virus. “Shame on this pastor, their legal staff and the leaders of this staff for forcing us to do our job. That’s not what we wanted to do during a declared state of emergency,” Chronister said at the time. “We are hopeful that this will be a wakeup call.” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky, was among those airing public complaints, saying Chronister should be “disqualified” for the arrest. Others flagged comments Chronister made in a video about Florida’s immigration laws that he released in 2023 that circulated again online after Trump named him last weekend. Related Articles National Politics | Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff National Politics | President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction National Politics | Democrats stick with Schumer as leader, their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain National Politics | Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs National Politics | Democrats’ outgoing chair says Trump’s win forces party to reassess how it reaches voters In the video, Chronister praised the “rich diversity” of his community and called it “a place where people from all walks of life come together.” He said it was important to note his office “does not engage in federal immigration enforcement activities. We do not target individuals based on their immigration status. That’s the authority of federal agencies.” Trump has made a sweeping crackdown on immigration a central focus of his campaign and his aims for his coming administration. Associated Press writer Adriana Gomez Licon in Fort Lauderdale, Florida contributed to this report.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100 ATLANTA (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died. He was 100 years old and had spent roughly 22 months in hospice care. The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy. He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis. He and his wife Rosalynn then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most internationally engaged of former presidents. The Carter Center said he died peacefully Sunday afternoon in Plains, Georgia, surrounded by his family. Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia. He left and returned to the tiny town many times as he climbed to the nation’s highest office and lost it after four tumultuous years. Carter spent the next 40 years setting new standards for what a former president can do. Carter wrote nearly a decade ago that he found all the phases of his life challenging but also successful and enjoyable. The Democrat's principled but pragmatic approach defied American political labels, especially the idea that one-term presidents are failures. Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company’s jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday’s incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, an airline consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached President Yoon in martial law probe SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean law enforcement officials have requested a court warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as they investigate whether his short-lived martial law decree this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Tornadoes in Texas and Mississippi kill 2 and injure 6 as severe weather system moves east HOUSTON (AP) — A strong storm system is threatening to whip up tornadoes in parts of the U.S. Southeast, a day after severe weather claimed at least two lives as twisters touched down in Texas and Mississippi. Strong storms moving eastward Sunday are expected to continue producing gusty, damaging winds, hail and tornadoes through Sunday. That is according to National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira. So far, the line of severe weather has led to about 40 tornado reports from southeastern Texas to Alabama, Pereira said, but those reports remain unconfirmed until surveys of damage are completed. Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery. Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center said his prostate was removed late Sunday and that he was recovering. Netanyahu’s office had said Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally, would serve as acting prime minister during the procedure. Doctors ordered the operation after detecting an infection last week. Netanyahu is expected to remain hospitalized for several days. With so much at stake, Netanyahu’s health in wartime is a concern for both Israelis and the wider world. Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally. Aliyev told Azerbaijani state television on Sunday that the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground over Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. He accused Russia of trying to “hush up” the issue for several days. The crash on Wednesday killed 38 of 67 people on board. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday for what he called a “tragic incident” but stopped short of acknowledging Moscow’s responsibility. Croatia's incumbent president gains most votes for re-election, but not enough to avoid a runoff ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic has swept most votes in the first round of a presidential election, but will have to face a runoff against a ruling party candidate to secure another five-year term. With 99% percent of the vote counted Sunday, Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives. The baby's father says the 20-day-old child was found with his head as “cold as ice” Sunday morning in their tent. The baby’s twin brother was moved to the intensive care unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Their father says the twins were born one month premature and spent just a day in hospital, which like other Gaza health centers has been overwhelmed and only partially functions. Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country. Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria, made the remarks in an interview Sunday. That's according to the Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya. It comes almost a month after a lightning insurgency led by HTS overthrew President Bashar Assad’s decades-long rule, ending the country’s uprising-turned civil war that started back in 2011.Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk

Tyler Huntley started the 2024 season on the Cleveland Browns. By late August, however, the Browns had released the quarterback. The Broward County native subsequently returned to the practice squad of the Baltimore Ravens — the team on which he got his NFL start. Then the Miami Dolphins lost franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion in Week 2, leading the team to sign Huntley to its active roster. Huntley would start three games in Tagovailoa’s absence, going 1-2, before he wound up on injured reserved with a shoulder injury. But when the news that Tagovailoa’s hip injury could force him to miss Sunday’s game against the Browns, there was no doubt Huntley would step in. What was unknown at the time, however, was just how well Huntley would play. “I feel good,” Huntley said after the game. “I actually feel more comfortable with these plays. A couple weeks in the office definitely makes a difference.” Huntley helped lead the Dolphins to 20-3 victory against the Browns , completing nearly 85% of his passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. The Hallandale High graduate only threw four incompletions in addition to his 52 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. “I think what was evident was the positives of time for Snoop and how far he’s come since we last played with him,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “I thought that was a tremendous outing for him. I thought he made some plays and was very good with the ball, and those are always cool things for a player when they’re playing a team that they were on in that same calendar year.” With the win, the Dolphins reached .500 for the first time since the start of the season and remained alive in the playoff race. They will need the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Denver Broncos to ultimately secure a spot in the postseason but Sunday’s victory was a good start. Here are four additional takeaways from Sunday’s victory over the Browns. Defense steps up The Dolphins defense had a very clear motto: bend don’t break. Despite allowing a little more than 275 yards on the day, the defense didn’t let up a touchdown, limiting the Browns to just three points on their two trips to the red zone. More evidence of their ‘bend don’t break’ mentality: the defense held the Browns to seven conversions on third down (41%) as well as zero fourth down conversions. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler praised the unit’s “communication” after the victory. “Staying on the same page and no one trying to take a shot and working within the bounds of the defense,” Sieler said. Added McDaniel: “They rose to the occasion. Having a couple turnovers and not letting them into the end zone. Guys made some plays just across the board.” Forcing turnovers The Dolphins came into the game ranked in the bottom five in terms of forced turnovers. Against the Browns, however, they were able to create two turnovers. With just more than four and half minutes before halftime, inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson picked off Browns quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Then, with roughly five and a half minutes left in the third quarter, edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah sacked Thompson-Robinson, leading the quarterback to cough up the ball which defensive tackle D’Shawn Hand recovered. While none of these turnovers led to Dolphins scores, it’s a good sign that the defense could wreak havoc on a Browns offense down to its third quarterback. Poor rushing numbers: This has been written time and time again. The Dolphins offense truly struggles to run the ball. As a team, they finished with 74 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. That’s roughly 2.74 yards per carry, which would rank dead last in the NFL. Remove Huntley’s touchdown as well as his 52-yards on the ground and the rushing numbers look awful to say the least: 20 attempts for 22 yards. Yes, you read that right. 20 attempts for 22 yards. That’s barely 1 yard per attempt. While offensive tackle Austin Jackson’s injury related absence has somewhat driven their poor rushing numbers, the Dolphins hung 166-yards on the San Francisco 49ers. Hopefully, they can recapture some of that form ahead of next week’s season finale versus the New York Jets. Dolphins need to clean up penalties: 11. That’s how many penalties the Dolphins had on the day. Six just so happened to be on the offense while the defense had three. Two penalties occurred on special teams. The plethora of penalties lost the Dolphins 94 yards. Obviously, the infractions didn’t ultimately hurt them; Miami just so happened to face a team that drew nearly as many penalties (nine for 84 yards). Against better teams, however, that won’t fly. “We got to get better to clean up our fundamentals,” Huntley said. “The flags were the stoppers of our drives. We could’ve put up way more points.” ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the Giants' franchise-record 10th straight loss proved anything, it's that New York could use a young franchise quarterback. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. showed what a young QB can do on Sunday against the Giants, who need to learn from it. The No. 8 overall pick in the draft, Penix played a nearly flawless game in his first career start to help the Falcons thrash the woeful Giants 34-7 in their best performance in weeks. The Giants gambled in 2019 that Daniel Jones would be their franchise QB and it really never panned out. The one exception was the 2022 season, when the No. 6 overall pick had a career year and led New York to a 9-7-1 record and a playoff berth in the first season after Joe Schoen was hired as general manager and Brian Daboll was named coach. The Giants even won a playoff game. With the release of Jones last month, the Giants (2-13) are now a team without a quarterback who can perform at the level required of an NFL starter. Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock have split the last four starts but neither has provided much of a spark for the league's worst offense. Lock handed the Falcons the game with two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. To turn things around next season, the Giants must find a quarterback. “I’d say it’s very important,” Daboll said Monday. New York is going to have a high pick in the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in late April. It could even be the No. 1 overall selection. Choosing the right quarterback is going to be hard. There isn't a can't-miss choice in 2025 draft and forcing one early would be a mistake. Unless the Giants are convinced that Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe or someone else is the next franchise player, they have have so many needs that it would be better to wheel and deal and fill as many holes as possible. Even if the Giants take a quarterback in the second round, there's bound to be someone available who has a chance to be better than what they have now. The calendar. The season ends in less than two weeks. The franchise is in disarray, and a shakeup appears likely. Daboll's future as the coach is not bright, considering the current skid and two straight losing seasons. Schoen has to share the blame and so do co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who hired the GM and coach. LB Darius Muasau. The sixth-round draft pick out of UCLA has started the last three games since Bobby Okereke (back) was hurt and eventually put on injured reserve last week. Muasau had 11 tackles Sunday along with a quarterback hit and a tackle for a loss. He made the defensive calls after LB Micah McFadden left with a neck injury. Lock. In his starts, Lock has had three interceptions returned for touchdowns. He also lost a fumble on a strip-sack at Atlanta. Lock sustained a shoulder injury during the game and had an MRI on Monday. Besides Lock and McFadden, S Jason Pinnock (eye) also left the game. C John Michael Schmitz and RB Tyrone Tracy were evaluated for ankle injuries on Monday. 1 — Thanks to the Raiders' victory over the Jaguars, the Giants will have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft with two more losses. For the ninth and final time, the Giants will try to find a way to win at MetLife Stadium. New York is 0-8 heading into Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Its only other winless season at home was in 1974 when New York played at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, while Giants Stadium was being built. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflJimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100

South Korean authorities seek warrant to detain impeached presidentNone

A designated disability minister will be appointed to each Government department to “champion disability inclusion and accessibility”, the Government has announced. Work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms said the move aims to drive “real improvements” for disabled people, whom the ministers will be encouraged to engage with on a regular basis. He told the Commons: “I am very pleased to be able to announce today the appointment of new lead ministers for disability in each Government department, they will represent the interests of disabled people, champion disability inclusion and accessibility within their departments. “I’m going to chair regular meetings with them and will encourage them to engage directly with disabled people and their representative organisations, as they take forward their departmental priorities. “And I look forward to this new group of lead ministers for disability together driving real improvements across Government for disabled people.” This came during an adjournment debate on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling raised concerns about “floating bus stops”, which have a cycle lane between the stop and the pavement. Intervening, the MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, said: “The Government needs to ban floating bus stops.” Sir Stephen said: “I do think this issue about floating bus stops is an important issue which we need to work across Government to reflect on.” Labour MP Debbie Abrahams, who led the debate, had earlier criticised the lack of accessibility for disabled people on trains. The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP said: “Our train network does not have level access, and we heard Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson from the other place make this plea back in the summer, absolutely outrageous what she was put through. “But I was absolutely shocked to find, when I had a presentation of the TransPennine route upgrade, that the rolling stock yet to be commissioned is not going to provide that level access. “It’s absolute nonsense, it’s not even in the design of that procurement, so we must do better than this.”Women are more likely to need walking sticks, wheelchairs and other mobility aids compared to men, but they are less likely to use them, according to a study. And single people are more likely to use mobility tools compared to those who are married, according to researchers from University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Researchers looked at information from a group of more than 12,000 adults in England aged 50 to 89 who were tracked over a 13-year period. At the start of the study, 8,225 adults had no mobility difficulty and did not use mobility assistive products (MAPs). Some 2,480 were deemed to have “unmet need” and 1,375 were using mobility aids. During the follow-up period, there were 2,313 “transitions” where people went from having no mobility issues to needing some help with getting around. And 1,274 people started to use mobility aids. Compared with men, women were 49% more likely to transition from not needing mobility aids to needing to use them, according to the study which has been published in The Lancet Public Health. But were 21% less likely to go on to use mobility aids when they needed them. The authors said their study showed “barriers to access” for women. For both men and women, with every year that passed during the study period the need for mobility aids increased. People who were older, less educated, less wealthy or reported being disabled were more likely to “transition from no need to unmet need, and from unmet need to use”, the authors said, with this indicating a “higher prevalence of mobility limitations and MAP need overall among these groups”. They added: “Finally, marital or partnership status was not associated with transitioning to unmet need; however, single people were more likely to transition from unmet need to use compared with married or partnered people.” Jamie Danemayer, first author of the study from UCL Computer Science and UCL’s Global Disability Innovation Hub, said: “Our analysis suggests that there is a clear gender gap in access to mobility aids. “Though our data didn’t ascertain the reason why participants weren’t using mobility aids, other research tells us that women are often more likely than men to face obstacles such as cost barriers as a result of well-documented income disparities between genders. “Many mobility aids are designed for men rather than women, which we think may be a factor. “Using mobility aids can also make a disability visible, which can impact the safety and stigma experienced by women, in particular. “There’s a critical need for further research to identify and break down the barriers preventing women from accessing mobility aids that would improve their quality of life.” Professor Cathy Holloway, also from UCL, added: “Not having access to mobility aids when a person needs one can have a big impact on their independence, well-being and quality of life. “Our analysis suggests that women, in particular, regardless of other factors such as education and employment status, are not getting the support that they need.” Professor Shereen Hussein, senior author of the study and lead of the social care group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “The research provides compelling evidence of gender disparities in accessing assistive technology, suggesting that cost, design bias, and social stigma are likely to disproportionally affect women. “This underscores the need for inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches in the design, production and inclusivity of assistive technologies.”

Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the DEA, withdraws name from consideration

Goodman Group shines among Australian property firms on data-centre pushDiontae Johnson gets instant shot at revenge against the Ravens after waiver claim from AFC rivalLOS ANGELES — We take you back to Monday morning in Minnesota and Cole Perfetti, eager to shake a nine-game scoring slump, is the first Winnipeg Jets skater to hit the ice ahead of that night’s game against the Wild. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LOS ANGELES — We take you back to Monday morning in Minnesota and Cole Perfetti, eager to shake a nine-game scoring slump, is the first Winnipeg Jets skater to hit the ice ahead of that night’s game against the Wild. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LOS ANGELES — We take you back to Monday morning in Minnesota and Cole Perfetti, eager to shake a nine-game scoring slump, is the first Winnipeg Jets skater to hit the ice ahead of that night’s game against the Wild. The young forward is joined a few minutes later by veteran teammate Nino Niederreiter, and the pair are taking turns firing shots towards the net. John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS files Although it has been a while since Cole Perfetti has found the back of the net, the Jets forward is contributing to the team’s success in other ways. “Especially right now, when the puck’s not going in, I like to get out there and just work on a couple things shot wise,” Perfetti told the on Wednesday. “I just want to see the puck go in the net, and right now it’s just about getting extra reps doing that.” Practice makes perfect, right? In principle, sure, but on this day, one of Niederreiter’s pucks goes right off the crossbar and directly into the face of Perfetti, who crumples to the ice. “Luckily it hit me in the visor. That could have been bad,” Perfetti said. That little brush with disaster perfectly sums up the current state of things for Perfetti, whose drought extended to 10 games in a 4-1 victory over Minnesota. Everything that can go wrong right now seemingly is going wrong. Fast forward to Wednesday, when Perfetti was once again the first to take a twirl at Crypto.com Arena to get ready for a battle with the Los Angeles Kings. He was also the last to wrap his morning skate, aside from healthy scratches David Gustafsson and Dylan Coghlan, the injured Logan Stanley and backup goaltender Eric Comrie. Perfetti would have stayed even longer but his stick snapped in half as he tried a shot — a sign it was time to hit the showers. To be clear, you won’t get any “woe is me” stuff from Perfetti, who signed a two-year, US$6.5 million contract a few days after training camp began after the Jets balked at signing a long-term extension at this point in his career, clearly wanting to see a larger sample size before the decide the true worth of the 10th-overall pick from 2020. “I just want to see the puck go in the net.” In fact, Perfetti likes where parts of his game are, even if the puck doesn’t really want to play along. “It’s frustrating, but if you’re getting the chances, if you’re doing the right things... I’d be more worried if I wasn’t getting the chances and we weren’t as a line and knew we were doing something wrong,” said Perfetti. He cites the fact he’s hit several posts in recent games, not to mention being the victim of a robbery last Saturday night by Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros. “It’s going to come eventually,” said Perfetti, who skates with Vlad Namestnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers. “Once the dam breaks for me personally and for us as a line, I feel like it’s really going to start to come and we’ll start to see the puck go into the net, which will be great.” Of course, it helps that the Jets entered pay Wednesday with an NHL-best 18-4-0 record, which mean’s Perfetti’s personal power outage hasn’t impacted the team as a whole. “You can find other ways to contribute to a win,” said Perfetti, who has chipped in with four assists in the last 10 games and is now up to 15 points (4G, 11A) in 22 games to sit in a tie for seventh in team scoring. Lynne Sladky / The Associated Press Files Perfetti checks Florida Panthers' Evan Rodrigues into the boards during a game in Sunrise, Fla. “No, the puck’s not going in the net right now, but worry about my defensive game, worry about how we are playing when we are on the ice. Are we still attacking and not giving the other team any great looks? That’s what you have to do right now. Goals are going to come, and they’re going to come in waves. But right now, while the luck is not on your side, do all the other little things correct and help your team win that way.” Perfetti has been down this road before, including a career-long 23 game span last year in which he failed to light the lamp and had just two assists. That led to several stints as a healthy scratch and what he admits was a crisis in confidence which ultimately proved to be a painful but necessary lesson. “Going through it for the first time really ever last year, you learn a lot about how not to deal with it. I feel like I kind of let it eat me up,” Perfetti said. “Goals are going to come, and they’re going to come in waves. But right now, while the luck is not on your side, do all the other little things correct and help your team win that way.” “The more it went on and on, the more I pressed and the more it didn’t come and the worse I felt about it.” As a result, he’s taking a much different approach this time around, one he believes is translating into solid overall play. His coach, Scott Arniel, concurs. “His game isn’t all centred around just scoring goals and sometimes when it doesn’t go in, you have a tendency to get farther away from the net,” said Arniel. “He recognizes that when he gets inside more, he’ll get those looks. He’s had some Grade-A’s. Sooner or later, they’ll go in. He has other responsibilities. Hopefully he starts off and gets a crazy bounce or something or an empty-netter to go in and that just gets him going and feeling good again. But I’ve really liked his game. He’s playing really well without the puck.” Perhaps a dose of good karma will get the hockey gods on his side. Last Friday night in Pittsburgh, at the start of this season-long road six game road trip, Perfetti had a chance to score his fifth of the year on a breakaway bid with the Penguins having pulled Tristan Jarry for an extra attacker. Rather than shoot, he passed to teammate Kyle Connor who had joined him on what was a 2-on-0. Connor is the team’s leading scorer and certainly doesn’t need help in that department, but this gesture allowed him to record his first Gordie Howe hat track, having recorded an assist and a fight against Sidney Crosby earlier in the game. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “I’d love the goal. Obviously want to see the puck go in the net myself right now,” said Perfetti. “But as soon as I got the puck, I knew I was getting it to him. That’s all I was thinking about, getting him his Gordie Howe.” Make no mistake: A little gesture like that goes a long way when it comes to team building. “Obviously everyone wants to score goals and that’s the main objective of the game,” said Perfetti. “But at the same time the more you press and put pressure on yourself, it’s just going to mount up and the more you do that, the less chances you’re going to score. Because now you’re gripping your stick when you do get a chance, or you’re beating yourself up if you miss a chance. Eventually it’s going to go. I’m just waiting for the game that it comes.” mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the before joining the in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. . Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

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WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. FILE - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a visit to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in Vienna, Va., on Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Susan Walsh Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them. Many consumers may remember receiving their first credit card, either years ago in a plain envelope, or months ago from a smartphone app. Still other consumers may remember their newest card, maybe because it's the credit card they're now using exclusively to maximize cash back rewards or airline miles. But for most consumers, there's also a murky in-between where they add, drop and generally accumulate credit cards over time. Over the years, consumers may close some credit card accounts or leave some of their credit cards dormant as a backup form of payment, or perhaps left forgotten in a desk drawer. In the data below, Experian reveals the changes in consumers wallets in recent years. Average Number of Cards Has Declined Since 2017 U.S. consumers, on average, carry fewer cards today than they did in 2017, when the typical wallet held 4.2 active credit cards. As of the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, consumers carried 3.9 cards on average. This average is up slightly since the early days of the pandemic, when consumers reduced their average credit card debt and number of accounts as the economy slowed. Canva As Experian revealed earlier this year, credit card balances are still climbing, despite (and partially because of) higher interest rates. And while average balances are increasing, they are spread across fewer accounts than in recent years. Alternative financing—including buy now, pay later plans for purchases—may account for at least some of this discrepancy, as consumers gravitate toward these newer financing methods. Residents of More Populous States Have More Credit Cards on Average In general, residents of higher-population states tend to carry more credit cards than those who live in states with fewer and smaller population centers. Nonetheless, the difference between the states is relatively small. Considering that the national average is around four credit cards per consumer, the four states with the fewest cards per consumer (Alaska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) aren't appreciably different, with "only" about 3.3 credit cards per consumer. Experian Similarly, the four states on the higher end of the scale where consumers have 4.2 or more credit cards are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Older Consumers Have More Active Credit Cards on Average The disparity in average credit card counts is more apparent when the population is segmented by age, thanks in part to Generation Z, many of whom have yet to receive their first credit card. The average number of credit cards for these consumers was two, less than half of what older generations keep on hand. Experian The average number of credit cards held by each generation follows the familiar pattern seen in credit card balances, which tend to increase in a consumer's middle age. It's not surprising that the number of credit card accounts follows a similar climb throughout young adulthood and middle age, then drops off in the retirement years. How Many Credit Cards Is Too Many? No matter how many credit cards you may have at the moment, keep in mind that the number of accounts has little if any bearing on one's FICO Score. Far more important is how consumers manage those accounts. This is easily demonstrable by quickly stepping through some of the factors that affect your credit scores . Utilization and amounts owed: Credit card issuers extend credit to consumers in the form of a credit limit. Generally, the lower a consumer's credit utilization, or balance compared with credit limit, the better. Keeping credit utilization ratios under 30% can lessen the negative impact credit card balances have on scores, and those with the highest credit scores tend to have credit utilization ratios in the low single digits. Conversely, carrying balances that begin to approach one's credit limits may have adverse effects on credit scores. Delinquencies and payment history: As important as managing balances is, making payments on existing accounts has an even greater impact on scores. Even a single delinquency (late payment) may have an adverse effect on your credit score, no matter how few or many credit card accounts you have. Average age of accounts: This is the only credit score factor where the number of cards one carries may influence their credit score. However, even here, keeping older credit cards open is far from a clear-cut decision. Longer credit histories do tend to have a positive effect on a consumer's credit score, but it's not something you can rush. Adhering to on-time payments and managing amounts owed will go far in improving credit scores, even absent a lengthy credit history. While accounts closed in good standing remain on your credit report for 10 years, canceling your oldest credit card account still has the potential to shorten your credit history when it is eventually removed. The impact of its removal depends on any other active credit cards in your credit file. The Bottom Line Ultimately, the number of cards a particular individual carries is a personal decision. Justifications can be found for carrying a travel rewards card, a cash back card, a balance transfer card, a card for business transactions and other types of credit cards that other consumers may not have either the need or qualifications for. However, keeping track of numerous credit cards, whether or not a consumer is actively using all of them, can be a mentally taxing exercise. Not only that, credit card fees can add up and dull the benefit of carrying several credit cards. Organized consumers can benefit greatly from a wallet full of specialized cards, but for those seeking a more zen-like financial future, some judicial pruning may be in order. Methodology: The analysis results provided are based on an Experian-created statistically relevant aggregate sampling of our consumer credit database that may include use of the FICO Score 8 version. Different sampling parameters may generate different findings compared with other similar analysis. Analyzed credit data did not contain personal identification information. Metro areas group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data. This story was produced by Experian and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Experian

In a surprising turn of events, famous actor Lin Jing En was recently spotted begging for food at a stranger's doorstep. The once charming and talented star of the popular drama "Grandpa-Lover" now appeared disheveled and desperate, with a strange gleam in his eyes as he was turned away empty-handed.

In a league where talent is abundant and competition is fierce, Gobert's unwavering dedication to the team's success sets him apart as a true leader and a beacon of inspiration for his teammates. As the season progresses and the playoffs loom on the horizon, Gobert remains focused on the ultimate goal: bringing a championship to Salt Lake City.The attempted assassination of a high-profile figure in the healthcare industry has prompted widespread outrage and condemnation. Many are questioning how such a brazen attack could have been planned and carried out without detection. The incident has underscored the need for increased vigilance and security measures within the healthcare sector to protect the safety of healthcare professionals and patients alike.

An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition

The strategic partnership between Huawei and China Mobile has played a pivotal role in driving the successful deployment of 5G EasyMacro technology in subway tunnels across the country. By combining Huawei's expertise in 5G innovation and China Mobile's extensive operational experience, the collaboration has set a new benchmark for the seamless integration of advanced wireless technologies in underground environments.US expected to send £1 billion in weapons to Ukraine before Trump takes officeAs the numbers continued to climb, reaching a record-breaking 67 million viewers, it became evident that Xiaohua and Xiang Zuo had struck a chord with audiences across the country. The live stream not only showcased their individual talents and personalities but also highlighted the strength of their relationship and the genuine connection they share.Farage: Badenoch must apologise for ‘crazy conspiracy theory’ on Reform numbers

MANILA, Philippines — Let the Department of Justice (DOJ) determine Vice President Sara Duterte’s criminal liability for her alleged death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. This is according to the leaders of the House of Representatives. This developed as the House concurrently addressed two impeachment complaints covering the same allegations. READ MORE: VP Sara Duterte faces 2nd impeachment rap First impeachment complaint vs VP Sara filed at House Raymond Garcia: ‘I won’t let any national concerns affect Cebu City’ Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman, House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chairperson, on Sunday underscored the separation of powers. Roman said that Congress would focus on the impeachment proceedings while the DOJ would handle potential criminal liability. She said, partly in Filipino, in a statement, “That is a totally separate and independent process. We each have our jobs. As far as we are concerned, we have the mandate to process this impeachment complaint.” She further stressed the need for government agencies “to work independently and transparently.” “We’re not the ones who are going to tell the justice department to do their work. But we should let our government agencies do their work freely, independently, with transparency, with honesty,” she said. Meanwhile, Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said it would be important for the public to understand the distinction between the impeachment process in Congress and the DOJ’s criminal investigation. “This is under the DOJ, a separate process within the executive branch involving the criminal liability of the vice president. This is different from the impeachment process in the lower house, which is a political and legislative procedure,” Acidre explained in Filipino. The first impeachment complaint, filed on Monday by civil society and religious groups, accuses Duterte of culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, betrayal of public trust, and high crimes. This includes the reported death threats she supposedly made against the country’s top leaders. Meanwhile, the second impeachment complaint filed on Wednesday, cites betrayal of public trust, focusing on various issues related to the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, which she previously chaired.

E-commerce has revolutionized the way we shop, offering unparalleled convenience and access to a vast array of products. As the industry continues to expand, companies are looking for innovative ways to harness data and insights to drive growth. Large-scale models, powered by advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques, are proving to be a game-changer in this regard.AC Milan, one of the most storied football clubs in Italy, has always been a symbol of excellence and ambition. The team's rich history, illustrious past, and passionate fanbase have made it a powerhouse in Italian football. In the midst of the current season, there is a rising star in the squad who harbors lofty aspirations - Gabia, a young and talented player who dreams of one day wearing the armband as the captain of AC Milan.

Stocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. ___ AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed. Alex Veiga, The Associated PressNEW HARTFORD — Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES Automotive Technology instructor John Stratton was recently named as the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence’s (ASE) 2024 CCAR/Electude/ASE Instructor of the Year. Stratton was among 59 automotive professionals recognized on November 20 during the ASE Service Professionals Awards ceremony held at the 2024 ASE and ASE Education Foundation Fall Board Meetings in New Orleans, LA. “These awards represent outstanding achievement in many areas of ASE Certification,” said Dave Johnson, ASE president and CEO. “The individuals being honored have demonstrated their knowledge by placing among the highest scoring automotive professionals holding ASE credentials. This, along with their exemplary performance each and every day, makes them exceptional examples of our industry to the public we serve. Together with our industry partners and award sponsors, we salute the best of the best.” Stratton joined the OHM BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center as an Automotive Technology instructor in 2003. He brings more than 27 years of experience working in the automotive industry to his classroom, where he enjoys seeing students from diverse backgrounds become lifelong friends, knowing students have become successful in their careers and having former students give back to the program by serving on the consultant committee. Stratton is ASE certified as a Master Automotive Technician, and in Maintenance and Light Repair and Advanced Engine Performance. He serves as co-advisor for the OHM BOCES chapter of SkillsUSA and also as the mechanical contests cluster manager for the New York State SkillsUSA Conference. He is a member of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) and the National Auto Service Task Force. Prior to joining the OHM BOCES, Stratton was employed as a technician, shop foreman and service manager. Stratton attended high school in New Hartford, earned his associate of applied science degree from SUNY Canton and furthered his education at SUNY Polytechnic Institute and SUNY Oswego. Individually, Stratton has been named the recipient of the 2018 NACAT/Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Award, the 2020 SkillsUSA New York State Advisor of the Year, the 2021 SkillsUSA Region 1 Advisor of the Year, and the recipient of the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Award for Teaching Excellence. Under Stratton’s guidance, the OHM BOCES Automotive Technology program was recognized by Tomorrow’s Technician magazine in 2019 as the top automotive program in the northeast and one of the top four high school and post-secondary programs in the nation.globe ph login 。

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Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pauseStocks drifted higher on Wall Street in midday trading Thursday, as gains in tech companies and retailers helped boost the market. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1%. The benchmark index is coming off a three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 19 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite was up less than 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.9%, Intel was up 0.7% and Apple gained 0.4%. While tech stocks overall were in the green, some heavyweights were a drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.9%, Amazon was down 0.5%, and Netflix gave up 1.4%. Health care stocks also helped lift the market. CVS Health rose 1.9% and Walgreens Boots Alliance rose 3.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 2.9%, Best Buy was up 2.1% and Dollar Tree gained 2.2%. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. Traders got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.61% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up roughly 26% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.

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Arsenal moves up to second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over IpswichThe renewable revolution runs on lithium. The metal is a key component in the batteries that power electric vehicles and store energy to stabilize electric grids as the makeup of global energy mixes increasingly relies on variable energy sources like wind and solar power. But while lithium has, in many ways, become synonymous with “clean energy” extraction of the metal is associated with a , not to mention sticky geopolitics. For these overlapping reasons, researchers have been looking into ways to move away from lithium, and a group of scientists at UNSW Sydney may have just made a major breakthrough. Their experimental battery model uses protons instead of lithium, using a novel organic material called tetraamino-benzoquinone (TABQ). The material facilitates the rapid movement of protons, which power the battery. “The battery offers quick energy storage, extended cycle life, and efficient operation even in sub-zero temperatures,” Interesting Engineering . “This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize energy storage, particularly for applications such as grid-scale storage and electric vehicles,” the article continues. If these batteries could be employed at a commercial scale, it could have sweeping benefits for clean energy supply chains as well as for the communities and ecosystems where lithium is produced. Currently, lithium production is all-but monopolized by China, creating major risks for the global economy on top of localized risks associated with its extraction. “China controls the vast majority of refining capacity for rare earth and lithium, which is used for ma king batteries. China needs these minerals to feed its expanding new energy vehicle (NEV) sector,” says Beatrix Keim, director of Germany-based Center Automotive Research. Lithium extraction is typically extremely water-intensive, which poses a major problem in the desert environments where it is frequently found. According to a 2018 report from WIRED magazine, extracting a single ton of lithium requires approximately . This kind of demand poses a direct threat to other water users in places such as South America’s so-called ‘lithium triangle,’ which overlaps with the Atacama, the world’s driest desert. What’s more, lithium extraction through the use of brine ponds – a common method – poses a further potential threat of contaminating existing, precious freshwater reserves. Water concerns are not the only environmental issue associated with lithium production. The chemicals involved in the metal’s extraction are extremely toxic. "The release of such chemicals through leeching [sic], spills or air emissions can harm communities, ecosystems and food production," a report from international environment activism group Friends of the Earth reports. "Moreover, lithium extraction inevitably harms the soil and also causes air contamination." Due to these issues, the expansion of lithium extraction in the salt flats of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile is a . Innovating away from the use of lithium in clean energy supply chains and manufacturing could be a critical solution to these issues, as well as larger market threats. Currently, the world is largely reliant on China for its lithium, posing serious problems for a free market as well as national security for any nation that is not in Beijing’s good graces. Already, China has been of overproducing lithium to flood the market and shut out any would-be competitors, giving them undue control over pricing and supply. The United States sees this as a major threat to national security, but its policies have to correct the issue. China has already moved to limit exports of certain rare earth minerals to the United States, and they are likely to double down on similar policies under the impending Trump presidential term. Diversifying supply chains away from Chinese monopoly is therefore more important and urgent than ever. While policy remains a murky area, scientific breakthroughs in non-lithium battery technologies could be our saving grace. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.comPresident-elect Donald Trump has filled the key posts for his second term in office, prioritizing loyalty to him after he felt bruised and hampered by internal squabbling during his first term. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation fights in the Senate, even with Republicans in control, and one candidate has already withdrawn from consideration. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was Trump's initial pick for attorney general, but he ultimately withdrew following scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation he was embroiled in. Here's a look at Trump's choices: CABINET: Secretary of state: Marco Rubio Trump would turn a former critic into an ally as the nation's top diplomat. Rubio , 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate before the slot went to JD Vance. Rubio is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His selection punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his own unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. Defense secretary: Pete Hegseth Hegseth , 44, was a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” and had been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011 and earning two Bronze Stars. He lacks senior military and national security experience and would oversee global crises ranging from Europe to the Middle East. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and has denied any wrongdoing. Treasury secretary: Scott Bessent Bessent , 62, is a former money manager for George Soros , a big Democratic donor, and an advocate for deficit reduction . He founded the hedge fund Key Square Capital Management after having worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, Bessent would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. Director of national intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard Gabbard, 43, is a former Democratic House member from Hawaii who has been accused of echoing Russian propaganda. She unsuccessfully sought the party’s 2020 presidential nomination and left the party in 2022. Gabbard endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him. Gabbard has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades and deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. If confirmed she would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, spent several years in top national security and intelligence positions. Attorney general: Pam Bondi Bondi , 59, was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist , Bondi also has served with the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-allied group that has helped lay the groundwork for his future administration. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush-money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appeared on Fox News and has been critical of the criminal cases against him. Labor secretary: Lori Chavez-DeRemer The Republican U.S. House member narrowly lost her reelection bid on Nov. 5 but had received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the department's workforce and budget and put forth priorities that affect workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of a few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act that would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and penalize companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws in more than half the states. Commerce secretary: Howard Lutnick Lutnick heads the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and is a cryptocurrency enthusiast. He is co-chair of Trump's transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration, with helping the president-elect fill key jobs in his second administration. As secretary, Lutnick would play a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. He would oversee a sprawling Cabinet department whose oversight ranges from funding new computer chip factories and imposing trade restrictions to releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. Homeland security secretary: Kristi Noem Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms as South Dakota's governor to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions like other states, instead declaring South Dakota “open for business.” More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for writing in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog. She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. CIA director: John Ratcliffe Ratcliffe , a former U.S. House member from Texas, was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term. He led U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will have held the highest intelligence positions in the U.S. Health and human services secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy , 70, ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent before he dropped out and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign. Kennedy's nomination alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Agriculture secretary: Brooke Rollins Rollins , 52, is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for Trump's second administration. She is a Texas attorney who was Trump's domestic policy adviser and director of his office of American innovation during his first term. Rollins previously was an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry , who also served in Trump's first term. Rollins also ran the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Transportation secretary: Sean Duffy Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years , sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. Veterans affairs secretary: Doug Collins Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential campaign, but was acquitted by the Senate. Collins also served in the armed forces himself. He is a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. Interior secretary: Doug Burgum The North Dakota governor , 68, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the running. Burgum then became a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice in part because of his executive experience and business savvy. He also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump said Burgum would chair a new National Energy Council and have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary. Energy secretary: Chris Wright A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. He also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. Wright said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Education secretary: Linda McMahon McMahon, a billionaire professional wrestling mogul , would make a return appearance in a second Trump administration. She led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 in Trump’s first term and twice ran unsuccessfully in Connecticut as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University. She has expressed support for charter schools and school choice. Environmental Protection Agency administrator: Lee Zeldin Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI" and "we will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.” Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often said his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. Housing and Urban Development: Scott Turner Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” U.S. Trade Representative: Jamieson Greer Greer is a partner at King & Spalding, a Washington law firm. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be responsible for negotiating directly with foreign governments on trade deals and disputes, as well as memberships in international trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization. He previously was chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, who was the trade representative in Trump's first term. WHITE HOUSE STAFF: Chief of staff: Susie Wiles Wiles , 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. She has a background in Florida politics , helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary. Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns. National security adviser: Mike Waltz Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. A former Army Green Beret , he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. National Economic Council: Kevin Hassett Hassett, 62, is a major advocate of tax cuts who was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump term. In the new role as chairman of the National Economic Council, Trump said Hassett will play an important role in helping American families recover from inflation as well as in renewing and improving tax cuts Trump enacted in 2017, many of which are set to expire after 2025. Border czar: Tom Homan Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. He led the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump's first administration. Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings in the first term, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Office of Management and Budget: Russell Vought Vought, 48, held the position during Trump’s first presidency. He the founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought also was closely involved with Project 2025 , a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Deputy chief of staff for policy: Stephen Miller Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first term. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people living illegally in the U.S. Deputy chief of staff: Dan Scavino Scavino was an adviser in all three of the president-elect's campaigns and was described by the transition team as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House. Deputy chief of staff: James Blair Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and an assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign. Deputy chief of staff: Taylor Budowich Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. White House press secretary: Karoline Leavitt Leavitt , 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. White House Counsel: William McGinley McGinley was Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. AMBASSADORS, ENVOYS AND OTHER KEY POSTS: Special envoy to the Middle East: Steven Witkoff The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and they were golfing at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Special envoy for Ukraine and Russia: Keith Kellogg Kellogg , 80, is a highly decorated retired three-star general and one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for Trump's second term. He has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues and served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence . Kellogg also was chief of staff of the National Security Council under Trump and stepped in as an acting national security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned the post. Ambassador to Israel: Mike Huckabee Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests. Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel. His daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, served as White House press secretary in Trump's first term. Ambassador to the United Nations: Elise Stefanik Stefanik, 40, is a U.S. representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders dating to his first impeachment trial. She was elected chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021, the third-highest position in House leadership, after then-Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after she publicly criticized Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. Ambassador to NATO: Matthew Whitaker A former acting attorney general during Trump's first administration and tight end on the University of Iowa football team, Whitaker , 55, has a background in law enforcement but not in foreign policy. A fierce Trump localist, Whitaker, is also a former U.S. attorney in Iowa and served as acting attorney general between November 2018 and February 2019 without Senate confirmation, until William Barr was confirmed for the role. That was when special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference was drawing to a close. Whitaker also faced questions about his past business dealings, including his ties to an invention-promotion company that was accused of misleading consumers. Ambassador to Canada: Pete Hoekstra A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Dr. Mehmet Oz Oz , 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime TV talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz’s bid for elected office. Food and Drug Administration: Dr. Marty Makary Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Surgeon General: Dr. Janette Nesheiwat Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor on Fox News. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Dr. Dave Weldon Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative after cardiac arrest, state should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. National Institutes of Health: Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Bhattacharya , 56, is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. As head of the NIH, the leading medical research agency in the United States, Trump said Bhattacharya would work with Kennedy Jr. to direct U.S. medical research and make important discoveries that will improve health and save lives. Bhattacharya is professor at Stanford University School of Medicine and was one of three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 open letter maintaining that lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic were causing irreparable harm. WITHDRAWN Matt Gaetz for Attorney General: Gaetz, 42, withdrew from consideration to become the top law enforcement officer of the United States amid fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed by the Senate. In choosing Gaetz, Trump had passed over more established lawyers whose names had been floated as possible contenders for the job. Gaetz resigned from Congress after Trump announced him on Nov. 13. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old. Gaetz has denied wrongdoing. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Zeke Miller, Farnoush Amiri, Lolita C. Baldor, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly, Edith M. Lederer, Adriana Gomez Licon, Lisa Mascaro, Chris Megerian, Michelle L. Price, Will Weissert and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Aaron Cooley's 17 points helped Brown defeat Stony Brook 77-54 on Wednesday. Cooley also contributed five rebounds for the Bears (4-3). AJ Lesburt Jr. scored 16 points, going 6 of 10 (4 for 8 from 3-point range). Landon Lewis shot 5 of 8 from the field to finish with 12 points, while adding eight rebounds. Joseph Octave finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Seawolves (2-5). Stony Brook also got 17 points and three steals from Ben Wight. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Aston Villa plays out goalless draw against depleted Juventus

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HART: My Annual List Of Things I’m Thankful ForDana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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